ALCOHOL COMMISSIONING GETS A BOOST WITH NEW ONLINE PORTAL

A new online database of local alcohol initiatives has just gone live with funding from the Department of Health. The Hub of Commissioned Alcohol Projects and Policies (HubCAPP- www.hubcapp.org.uk) will allow commissioners working in England to share their experiences of planning and implementing local alcohol harm reduction strategies and initiatives. The HubCAPP team, based within Alcohol Concern, is responsible for mapping local alcohol initiatives and capturing the strategic history behind existing projects.

Don Shenker, Acting Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern says:

"Alcohol professionals already have a fairly well developed library of guidance documents available to them, however, many commissioners need examples of proven projects to argue the case for alcohol initiatives. The new HubCAPP website has been designed to showcase alcohol projects, initiatives and strategies that will make it much simpler to plan and commission new measures to reduce alcohol harms. We hope that commissioners share their current alcohol work on the site and allow others to learn from this, speeding up the process for alcohol commissioning. With new PSA targets to reduce alcohol harm, we hope this new portal will support the creation of more local initiatives to improve health and reduce crime".

Luke Kwamya, DAAT Alcohol Strategy Manager for Brent says:

"Tight resources mean that every pound devoted to alcohol work has to be stretched as far as possible. That, taken together with prominence of alcohol on the national agenda and the demand for results means that those of us planning work on the ground need to be as innovative and daring as possible. HubCAPP will allow us to test our ideas against what's gone before. It has real potential to add value to our work".

The site (www.hubcapp.org.uk) is currently inviting alcohol teams to submit case histories covering strategic planning, preventative work, screening and brief advice work, enforcement and education.

ENDS
For enquiries please contact Sarah Ward, HubCAPP manager through 0207 264 0510 or email info@hubcapp.org.uk

Notes to editors

Alcohol Concern is the national agency working to reduce alcohol related harm in society. We work to reduce the incidence and costs of alcohol-related harm and to increase the range and quality of alcohol services available to problem drinkers and their families.

Date: 28 March 2008