Strategic improvement plan
The Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP) has recently produced its Strategic Improvement Plan (PDF 992Kb). This outlines what steps the ADP will take to develop a fully-functioning Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC) by 2024, and establishes six improvement areas that the ADP will fulfil:
- support, where people receive effective, integrated, person-centred support that helps achieve recovery, and where children and families affected by alcohol and drug use will be safe, healthy, and included in the recovery process
- stigma, where communities in East Ayrshire do not discriminate towards those who have drug and alcohol use issues
- prevention and early intervention, where fewer people develop alcohol and drug issues
- engagement and co-production, where people can access, navigate, manage, challenge, and provide feedback to the ADP
- trauma, where treatment and recovery services are trauma-informed and aligned to community requirements
- justice, where people affected by alcohol and drug use are diverted from the justice system where possible, and those receiving treatment are fully supported
You can also read the ADP's easy-read version of the Strategic Improvement Plan (PDF 16.6Mb), and its graphic summary (PDF 13.08Mb).
Recovery network
In pursuit of building a ROSC, the ADP previously established the Recovery Network - a wider, informal network of services aimed at improving working and inter-relationships between services. East Ayrshire Recovery Network was established in February 2020 to create a platform focused on bringing grassroots/community groups together so they:
- have a stronger voice
- promote sharing of best practice
- encourage joined up working approaches
- improve communication/signposting between community, voluntary and statutory agencies
Best bar none
Best Bar None is a National Award Scheme, administered by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, aimed at raising standards and rewarding licensed premises who undertake positive management practices in support of a safe night out.
The scheme is supported by leading members of the alcohol industry who factor social responsibility as a key priority, namely Diageo, Heineken, Tennents, Edrington-Beam Suntory IK and Chivas Brothers-Pernot Ricard.
It is also supported by Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue and the Scottish Government. Best Bar None provides funding to administer the scheme and the ADP has also provided funding in previous years to support the scheme. The ADP funding helps to procure trophies which are awarded at the local ceremony and helps to sustain the scheme by funding the purchase of equipment.
Ask Angela
Ask Angela is an innovative programme that originally began in Lincolnshire Council in 2016. The programme allows people to ask for "Angela" at participating venues, providing a code word to let staff know that an individual feels uncomfortable or in danger.
Venue staff can then intervene by calling for a taxi, taking the individual out of harm's way, or by asking the other party to leave.
The programme is currently operating in participating venues in Kilmarnock.