Consultation on Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for Barnsley

The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for Barnsley is put out to consultation today, (18.01.05), by Barnsley’s Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Board and Fit for the Future.
This strategy sets out a response for preventing the harms that alcohol can cause and help for those who are currently negatively affected by alcohol. It calls for a balanced approach to be adopted to ensure that the health, social and economic benefits of alcohol are not outweighed by the human and financial costs of alcohol related crime, illness, educational and workplace performance and breakdown of family and social networks.
Dr Frances Clement, Fit For The Future Alcohol Programme Lead, said: “We know alcohol is beneficial to health and social well being in moderation when used sensibly and responsibly, however it is recognised that for some individuals, families and communities alcohol poses significant problems.”

Elaine Ogden, Fit for the Future Co-ordinator, said: “The purpose of this strategy is to present a cohesive drive to focus attention on alcohol harm reduction. This will enable Barnsley to develop an infrastructure, which uses existing and future resources and local policies effectively to reduce the harm

from alcohol. The strategy will enable organisations and people within Barnsley to work in partnership in preventing and reducing the harms associated with alcohol.”

The deadline for all comments is 18th February 2005.

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Responsible Retailers Scheme Approved May 2004

Barnsley’s Fit for the Future programme is tackling the problem of under age drinking by funding the Barnsley Responsible Retailers Scheme.

The scheme, which will be managed by the Barnsley Council Environmental Health and Trading Standards team, will begin within the next couple of months with the employment of an officer to develop the scheme across the borough.
The focus of the scheme will be the under age sale of alcohol. Retailers, such as off-licenses, will be able to sign up to the scheme and by doing so they will receive advice as well as posters and leaflets to display in store. One of the aims of the scheme is to build up a picture of how often young people are trying to buy alcohol and in which area. Retailers will be given a refusals book where they can record the amount of times they refuse a sale. This will not only help to build up a picture of under age drinking in Barnsley but it will also be a means for Environmental Health and Trading Standards to check how well the retailer is enforcing the scheme.

Simon Frow from Barnsley Environmental Health and Trading Standards said: “We will be giving as much advice and assistance as we can to retailers. Similar schemes run in Doncaster and Sheffield and they have proved very successful. There is no reason why Barnsley can’t do the same.”
Simon added: “The scheme isn’t just about getting the retailers to join up – it’s about working with young people themselves. We will be raising awareness amongst young people and finding out what they think.” The scheme will have a knock on effect to under age sales as a whole – that includes alcohol, cigarettes and fireworks for example.

Dr Frances Clement, Specialist Registrar in Public Health said: “Under age drinking is a major concern in Barnsley. It’s everyone’s responsibility to protect young people and to make sure that they know the real risks of drinking and that they can get the help and advice they need.”

In addition to the Responsible Retailers Scheme, the BMBC Licensing Forum has invited a speaker from the Scottish charity Alcohol Focus to give a presentation about a training course they run for the licensed trade called ServeWise. The course aims to improve understanding of the problems which alcohol causes and the role which servers of alcohol can play in reducing these problems. The recently published Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England indicates that the alcohol industry should act more responsibly when selling and serving alcohol.

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