New focus on drugs and alcohol harm in Brighton and Hove
Drug-related deaths and harmful alcohol use are "notably" both above the England average, it continued.
'Compassionate approach'
Stephen McCulloch, executive director at the charity WithYou, told the BBC it was "great to see" local authorities like BHCC taking the issue seriously. "It is only by recognising the root causes of why people have challenges with drugs and alcohol, taking a compassionate and non-judgemental approach, and investing in treatment and recovery services, that we will tackle this public health crisis," he said.
Oasis Project, a specialist drug and alcohol treatment service in Brighton and Hove, also welcomed the new strategy, particularly its focus on women and parents experiencing drug and alcohol issues.A spokesperson called the plan a "vital step toward reducing the stigma and service.BHCC councillor Mitchie Alexander said the strategy was about understanding the "whole person, not just the symptoms".He added: "We know that drugs and alcohol can and do devastate lives, but we also know that with the right support, people can and do recover."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
16 minutes ago
- Times
Teenage girl left alone on mental health ward was killed unlawfully
A coroner and jurors had tears in their eyes as they ruled that a teenage girl was killed unlawfully after she was left alone on a mental health ward by an agency worker using a fake name on his first shift. Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, was meant to be under strict observation at the psychiatric intensive care unit of Huntercombe Hospital in Berkshire while being treated for a severe eating disorder when she was left on her own by the worker on February 12, 2022. The inquest had heard that the agency worker, who went by the name of Ebo Acheampong, had applied for the role under a false name and had never worked in a psychiatric hospital, the police later discovered. He never returned to work after the teenager's death and fled the UK for Ghana. Ian Wade KC, the coroner, and the jurors were clearly upset when they delivered the conclusion of unlawful killing at the inquest at Buckinghamshire coroner's court in Beaconsfield. Addressing Ruth's parents, Mark and Kate Szymankiewicz, Wade said with tears in his eyes: 'I hope you will treasure all the good memories of your lovely daughter.' The inquest had been told that she shut herself in her bedroom, where she self-harmed. She died two days later at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Jurors were told that the ward was missing at least half of its staff on the day Ruth was left unsupervised. Acheampong was asked to join the intensive care psychiatrist team because they were so short-staffed that nurses could not go on breaks. Michelle Hancey, a support worker with 18 years' experience at Huntercombe, raised concerns that day that the team would 'fail to monitor patients on prescribed special observation because of staff shortage'. Acheampong was assigned to watch over Ruth on his first shift at the hospital. He repeatedly left the girl alone while she was watching TV, one time for a couple of minutes, which prompted her to walk alone to her bedroom. She had been on an observation plan which meant that she had to be kept within eyesight at all times after earlier incidents of self-harm. About 15 minutes passed before a nurse discovered the teenage girl and raised the alarm. 'Ruth was not prevented from accessing the restricted material which could be used to self-harm,' the jury foreman told the hearing. 'Ruth was not prevented from accessing harmful material on the internet. Ruth's care pathway … was insufficient to allow improvement for discharge. 'From Ruth's admission to Thames ward, her responsible clinician deemed the ward to be neither suitable nor conducive to her recovery. Ruth's parents were not given adequate information about the appeal process, and refusal rights.' Ruth's parents, who are both doctors, read an emotional statement outside the court after the verdict. They said: 'There is an empty space at our table, a silent bedroom in our home, a gaping hole in our family that will never be filled … Ruth was an incredible, bright, friendly, loving and adventurous girl with a whole life of joy ahead of her. 'When, at our most vulnerable as a family, we reached out for help, we ultimately found ourselves trapped in a system that was meant to care for her, to help her, to keep her safe, but instead locked her away and harmed her.' Huntercombe Hospital was rated 'overall inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in February 2021, and has since been closed.
The Sun
16 minutes ago
- The Sun
I'm a laundry expert and you're wrecking bedding by making ‘snagging' mistake, stop it now
WASHING our bedding and sheets seems like a straightforward task, even if we have to do it more frequently during the hot, summer months. Most of us just chuck them in the machine, add some powder, and maybe a little bit of softener, and we're good to go. 2 But it turns out that many of us are guilty of washing our bedding all wrong - and it could be ruining the fabric. Laundry experts at My Furniture have revealed that one key mistake can actually reduce our bedding's lifespan. James Pilling, bedding expert and interior designer from My Furniture, said that washing our bedding with other items of clothing could cause our beloved sheets to tear. And the bedding guru warned that homeowners should never add clothes and bedding in the same spin. They said: 'Never wash your sheets with clothes that have zips, buttons or other fastenings as they can snag or tear the fabric. "Bedding should be washed in a separate load.' Never wash your sheets with clothes that have zips, buttons or other fastenings as they can snag or tear the fabric James Pillingbedding expert from My Furniture Another mistake many of us make is washing our bedding at the wrong temperature - and it's far too high. Whilst many think it's best to wash bed sheets at 60C or even 90C to eliminate bacteria, the experts say it's actually more beneficial to wash bedding at a lower temperature. James explains: 'Hot washes are one of the quickest ways to ruin bed linen. "High temperatures break down cotton or silk fibres, leaving them brittle. Drying laundry inside was making my home mouldy - now I never put up my clothes horse without a £1.08 buy on it "In fact, the fluff you see in the lint trap is actually part of your bedding. "An eco cycle with warm water is far gentler on the fabric, as well as more eco-friendly.' To help make our bedding last longer and stay in good condition, James suggests avoiding harsh cleaning chemicals. He said: "The cleaning products you use make a big difference. "Sheets usually need freshening up from sweat and skin cells. "But too many harsh chemicals can do more harm than good, so stick to plant-based detergents and avoid fabric softener altogether. "For an even gentler option, wash your sheets with a cup of borax or sodium bicarbonate instead. "This is better for both your bedding and your washing machine.' How often you should really wash your bedsheets in summer THE warmer temperatures mean most of us will be sweating through the night, even if we are putting the fans on. And this, in turn, can leave stains and odours on our pillows and sheets that impact our sleep hygiene. So, experts have revealed exactly how often everyone should be washing their bedding in the summer - and it's more often than you might think. Chloe Barrow, interior expert at Laura James, said that homeowners should wash their sheets at least twice a week during the summer. She said: 'In the warmer months, I recommend washing your bedding every week as a minimum. "Hot nights mean more sweat and skin cells accumulate in the sheets. "Not only can this make for an uncomfortable sleep, but it can also lead to odour or irritation if left too long. "If you experience night sweats, are prone to allergies, or have pets sharing your bed, I recommend upping this to twice a week to help maintain freshness and to be hygienic. "You should definitely wash bedding more frequently in summer than winter. "In summer, it's common to sleep with minimal clothing and open windows, which can bring in more pollen and outdoor particles. "This combination makes regular washing essential if you want to stay on top of sleep hygiene." But it's not just about washing our bedding correctly - making sure we dry it properly is also just as important. James has warned that many homeowners are also guilty of making the same mistake when it comes to drying sheets and duvet covers. He explains that bedding should always be air-dried where possible and not hung over radiators. The laundry pro says: "Heat can seriously damage the fabric of your bedding. "The best way to dry sheets is outside in the fresh air. This includes winter. "As long as it's not raining, you can usually get them dry, and your linen will remain intact.
Times
16 minutes ago
- Times
Junior doctors strikes: NHS staff absence due to walkouts falls
NHS staff absences due to industrial action fell by 7.5 per cent compared with the last round of junior doctors' strikes, with 1,243 fewer staff absent during the most recent walkout. The analysis from the health service also found that more care was delivered during the five-day strike than in previous industrial action. Junior doctors, now known as resident doctors in the NHS, walked out for five days on July 25 in a dispute with the government over pay. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, and the British Medical Association (BMA) say they are continuing talks over the summer to prevent further strike action from the doctors. The NHS estimated that 11,071 more appointments and procedures went ahead as planned compared with industrial action from junior doctors in 2024. In previous industrial action, hospitals cancelled or rescheduled elective procedures to prepare for the walkouts. However, during this round of strikes, hospitals endeavoured to keep planned appointments going ahead as scheduled throughout the walk-outs. Streeting said the figures show the NHS 'was more resilient against last month's strike action than ever before'. 'We are getting on with the job of delivering progress in the face of strike action, and we will continue to put patients first,' he said. 'I had a constructive conversation with the BMA last week and I am glad they've agreed to continue engagement through the summer with the mutual aim of preventing further disruption to the NHS and patients.' Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS national medical director, said: 'It is very welcome news that the resident doctors committee has returned to talks, and we hope this leads to a resolution that avoids further disruption for patients.' Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said: 'Despite a five-day strike in July by some doctors, the NHS provided an estimated 11,000 more appointments and procedures compared to during their five-day walkout in July last year.' • NHS patients told to brace for strikes until Christmas and beyond 'We hope that talks between the union and the government bear fruit and that any more disruptive strikes can be avoided. NHS trust leaders want to focus on improving services for patients and doing everything they can to improve things for valued resident doctors.' The doctors' union has, however, said that the action 'was totally avoidable'. It has previously said that the difference in absences could not be accurately compared between the strike years due to changes in the numbers taking annual leave. A spokesman added: 'Had the government just come forward with a credible offer toward pay restoration for resident doctors, those doctors would have been at work. Instead, government inaction meant we saw yet more cancellations, delays and chaos in a health system that is already seeing far too much of all three. 'We hope government uses the opportunity of our ongoing talks to avoid any need for future action. Today's figures show there are far too many patients on waiting lists relying on a swift and just resolution to this dispute.' Separate NHS figures show that the health service delivered a record number of appointments in June, with 103,563 more treatments carried out than this time last year. The latest performance data from NHS England shows an estimated 7.37 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of June, relating to 6.23 million patients — up from 7.36 million treatments and just under 6.23 million patients at the end of May. The slight increase, which NHS officials have put down to more people coming forward for appointments, comes after the list fell for two consecutive months. The numbers waiting for more than 18 months to start treatment were also down to 1,103, from 1,237 in May. Some 10,517 patients had been waiting more than 65 weeks, down from 11,522 the previous month. This figure stood at 58,024 in June 2024. The number of patients waiting more than 52 weeks to start routine treatment also fell to 191,813 from 196,920 at the end of May. Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at the Health Foundation, said: 'While summer is often a time for the NHS to catch its breath, today's data shows hospitals and ambulance services remain under relentless pressure.'
