Community / Apology made over IJB decision ‘miscommunication’
A change was made to a direction relating to alcohol and drugs which created uncertainty over Dogs Against Drugs funding
AN APOLOGY has been made for any “confusion and concern” caused over how a decision made by Shetland’s integration joint board (IJB) relating to alcohol and drugs and its potential effect on funding for local charity Dogs Against Drugs was communicated.
IJB chief officer Jo Robinson reiterated that a change to wording in a direction regarding alcohol and drugs to increase the focus on health and social care outcomes does not change the offer in the grant given to Dogs Against Drugs.
Shetland’s police chief Chris Sewell raised concern earlier month that funding for Dogs Against Drugs, which comes via the local alcohol and drug partnership (ADP), was apparently no longer destined to go towards “enforcement”.
Dogs Against Drugs is a Shetland-based charity established in 2002 which provides education in schools as well as drug detection through sniffer dogs.
The apparent decision to move the focus away from detection came through the integration joint board (IJB), which gives directions to health and social care services in Shetland.
Last year the IJB decided that entries related to “drug detection and deterrent service” should be removed from the alcohol and drugs direction.
Concern had been raised about this being included in the direction given that the focus was on recovery, with a trauma informed approach.
The decision to remove this wording was led by councillor John Fraser, who said that it was important to ensure a health and social care direction focused on health and social care matters – and not those separate to the IJB, NHS or the council.
The amended direction was approved by the IJB in November.
Chairman of Dogs Against Drugs Ian Davidge said earlier this month that the charity had asked for a meeting to gain more clarity on the situation, and questioned what the change would mean for funding in future years.
However, Sewell told a meeting of Shetland’s community safety and resilience board earlier this month that assurances had been given that the level funding will be maintained.
When asked for clarity on the issue, IJB chief officer Jo Robinson – who is the local director of community health and social care – said: “The Integration Joint Board (IJB) made a decision in August 2024 to review the wording in its direction regarding alcohol and drugs, to increase focus on health and social care outcomes.
“This did not however change the offer in the grant provided to Dogs Against Drugs.
“More recently this has been communicated in error. We have spoken with relevant partners to explain the discussion, as we understand and can only apologise for the confusion and concern this has caused.
“We fully appreciate the implications it would have had on the service.
“I will be meeting with partners over the coming weeks to reiterate the IJB’s support for organisations that provide essential services to the community.”
It comes against a backdrop of continued calls for regular, long-term funding for Dogs Against Drugs.
Sewell meanwhile previously said that under legislation there is a “statutory responsibility” for the police to bring offenders to justice.
“That’s why legally it is important that I carry out enforcement activity as well as prevention activity and deterrent activity. But to do that, we have an asset available to us, Dogs Against Drugs, and it’s necessary that they continue to be funded,” he had said.
Meanwhile the topic of enforcement was mentioned at a meeting Shetland’s integration joint board earlier this month.
NHS Shetland alcohol and drug development officer Wendy Henderson said the situation is a complex one, especially as the illegal drug trade is “so well established”.
She said a “multi-pronged” approach is needed, and there is “absolutely a place for enforcement”.
“Where it fits in a public health strategy is where I’m saying is that is quite complex.
“We need to continue delivering education in schools, we need to what we can do reduce availability of drugs, but we need to weigh up how that equates into reduction in harm.”
She said if there are increasing harms and drug deaths, a look at the activities and their outcomes is needed.
Councillor Fraser, who is the vice chair of the IJB, said he felt the Scottish Government’s mission on drugs has been “ineffective”.
His view was that the substances Dogs Against Drugs has stopped from coming into Shetland is only the “tip of the iceberg”, adding his belief that it has not “made a massive difference in the scourge of illicit drugs here”.
Fraser said he was there as the vice chair of the IJB to make a “strategic approach to health and social care – not criminal detection”.
He encouraged the Scottish Government to engage with Police Scotland and the criminal justice system to secure “much needed and much deserved” funding for detection.
That would then “allow us to use our very strained and limited resources, to put that monies into finding long term sustainable and meaningful recovery for those that are affected by the scourge of addiction”.
NHS Shetland medical director Kirsty Brightwell also told the IJB meeting that people who are marginalised are more likely to become addicted.
“The reason why people have addictions is not from a lack of knowledge – it’s potentially from a lack of love,” she said.
Brightwell said she understood Dogs Against Drugs but added that “my worry is that they come with a uniform, so it’s already sending a message”.
“So how do we as a society, as a community, do better around people who are marginal in our society?”
Fraser responded by saying is education is “exceptionally important, but let’s not kid ourselves on”.
He said people know if they drink to excess, or take illicit substances, then bad things can happen.
Fraser encouraged a greater emphasis on the “underlying cause that’s making you […] go down this particularly path”
He added that he is a great believer that trauma is “usually the catalyst to addiction” and that “connection, sense of belonging and love” is the route out of addiction.
Shetland West councillor Liz Peterson said it is “not always a lack of love, or trauma” – adding that there are a multitude of reasons why someone may become addicted.
Public health director Dr Susan Laidlaw added that it is “different for everyone” – and referenced things like deprivation, poverty, childhood trauma and adult trauma, in addition to many other factors.
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