PHE update CLeaR alcohol self-assessment tool to support local strategy

Public Health England (PHE) have updated its alcohol CLeaR self-assessment tool which aims to help local alcohol partnerships think about how effective their local system and services are at preventing and reducing alcohol-related harm.

CLeaR helps partnerships to develop action plans for improvement through its focus on 3 main areas:

1. Challenge for the services that deliver interventions to prevent or reduce alcohol-related harm.
2. Leadership for the alcohol agenda, which involves considering how local structures and governance arrangements can support collaborative action to reduce alcohol harm.
3. Results achieved through recent activity to reduce alcohol harm, evidenced by national and local data sources.

Public Health England (PHE) have updated its alcohol CLeaR self-assessment tool which aims to help local alcohol partnerships think about how effective their local system and services are at preventing and reducing alcohol-related harm.

CLeaR helps partnerships to develop action plans for improvement through its focus on 3 main areas:

1. Challenge for the services that deliver interventions to prevent or reduce alcohol-related harm.
2. Leadership for the alcohol agenda, which involves considering how local structures and governance arrangements can support collaborative action to reduce alcohol harm.
3. Results achieved through recent activity to reduce alcohol harm, evidenced by national and local data sources.

The CLeaR states it 'helps local partnerships to assess their arrangements and delivery plans and to develop a collective view of their strengths and weaknesses. It can give them assurance that their resources are being invested in a range of effective services. It can also help show if the interventions their services are delivering meet local need and support their local vision and ambition for reducing alcohol-related harm.'

PHE has an ‘enhanced offer’ to support partnerships that are interested in using the CLeaR self-assessment tool. It includes extra support materials (available on request) to help the accountable board and designated local CLeaR lead promote the approach to partners. PHE also says it can help run workshops for decision-makers in local partnerships to learn more about the CLeaR approach and to start completing the self-assessment. For more information contact here.

A short history of local alcohol strategy

Local alcohol strategies came to prominence with the advent of 'PSA 25' and 'national indicators' including hospital admissions, and the requirement for local areas to address alcohol harms through crime strategies. This was supported by the second of new Labour's national alcohol strategies, the extensive 'Safe.Sensible. Social' and supporting implementation toolkit.

Since then, although apparently no longer a statutory requirement, an ever broadening policy base of documents, including full NICE guidance, and past initiatives such as the Alcohol Improvement Programme have taken place, though other local or regional alcohol strategy approaches had come before (themes of which include the interaction of national and local alcohol policy as explored at a 2015 Centre for History in Public Health event).

Implementation in the age of cuts and localism?

Whilst PHE's role is in supporting local areas in implementing such strategies, the scale of cuts to local authority budgets for alcohol interventions continues to be of central concern. Government spokespersons however frequently respond by highlighting various one off funds such as the nine areas awarded funding to support for families affected by alcohol problems, the capital spend grant, and announced this week, grant funding for Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Interventions. Nonetheless, calls continue to be made for an evidence based national strategy that including reversing cuts to public health budgets so that all local areas are better resourced to fund alcohol-related interventions and support.

The CLeaR states it 'helps local partnerships to assess their arrangements and delivery plans and to develop a collective view of their strengths and weaknesses. It can give them assurance that their resources are being invested in a range of effective services. It can also help show if the interventions their services are delivering meet local need and support their local vision and ambition for reducing alcohol-related harm.'

PHE has an ‘enhanced offer’ to support partnerships that are interested in using the CLeaR self-assessment tool. It includes extra support materials (available on request) to help the accountable board and designated local CLeaR lead promote the approach to partners. PHE also says it can help run workshops for decision-makers in local partnerships to learn more about the CLeaR approach and to start completing the self-assessment. For more information contact here.

A short history of local alcohol strategy

Local alcohol strategies came to prominence with the advent of 'PSA 25' and 'national indicators' including hospital admissions, and the requirement for local areas to address alcohol harms through crime strategies. This was supported by the second of new Labour's national alcohol strategies, the extensive 'Safe.Sensible. Social' and supporting implementation toolkit.

Since then, although apparently no longer a statutory requirement, an ever broadening policy base of documents, including full NICE guidance, and past initiatives such as the Alcohol Improvement Programme have taken place, though other local or regional alcohol strategy approaches had come before (themes of which include the interaction of national and local alcohol policy as explored at a 2015 Centre for History in Public Health event).

Implementation in the age of cuts and localism?

Whilst PHE's role is in supporting local areas in implementing such strategies, the scale of cuts to local authority budgets for alcohol interventions continues to be of central concern. Government spokespersons however frequently respond by highlighting various one off funds such as the nine areas awarded funding to support for families affected by alcohol problems, the capital spend grant, and announced this week, grant funding for Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Interventions. Nonetheless, calls continue to be made for an evidence based national strategy that including reversing cuts to public health budgets so that all local areas are better resourced to fund alcohol-related interventions and support.