Annual Report 2023
Every year the Director of Public Health for the City of Westminster and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea produces a report which focuses on a key public health issue in the two boroughs. The aim of the report is to highlight a specific area of concern and make recommendations for change.
The focus of the 2023 annual report is drug and alcohol (or substance) misuse.
You can read a summary below, but for more detail, we encourage you to read the report in accessible PDF format.
If you or someone you know is affected by drugs or alcohol, please visit our health page for more information about accessing treatment.
The issue
Substance misuse is a particular issue in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea, partly influenced by our thriving night-time economies and high rough sleeper population.
Substance misuse causes a wide range of physical and mental health problems, as well as impacting families, friends and local communities.
What we are doing
One of our key initiatives is the Combatting Drugs Partnership (CDP), led by our Director for Public Health, Anna Raleigh. The CDP creates links between individuals and organisations affected by drugs. It helps us understand how drugs cause harm on a local level, identifies any challenges our systems face and how we can overcome them, and provides support for users with complex needs.
The CDP focuses on three priority areas which reflect the needs of our residents as well as local contextual factors:
- Children and young adults
- People involved with the criminal justice system
- Older opiate and crack cocaine users
Please read the full report for more details on each of these areas.
Our services and impact
We have a wide variety of drug and alcohol support and prevention services available.
In 2021, there were 723 people in treatment for drug misuse and 259 for alcohol in Kensington and Chelsea. In Westminster, the number of users in treatment was 1,011 and 395 respectively.
We have higher rates of people successfully leaving treatment than the London and England averages.
You can read more about our services and impact in the report below.
If you or someone you know is affected by drugs or alcohol, please visit our health page for more information about accessing treatment.
Case studies
Black and Blue
The Black and Blue programme is a new prevention initiative funded by Public Health that offers drug education and awareness sessions for Year 6 school pupils across RBKC and Westminster.
It also touches on other topics, such as mental health and racism, through the experience of Paul Canoville, the first black footballer to play for Chelsea Football Club, who turned to drugs when struggling with physical injury and racial abuse.
Starting Over
The Community Safety teams in both RBKC and WCC commission the Starting Over service, delivered by Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Wellbeing Service (DAWS). The service provides additional support to the adult male Integrated Offender Management cohort, as well as to prolific theft offenders, to address their substance misuse needs and reduce their reoffending. Find out more by watching the video below.
Build on Belief
Build on Belief (BoB) is based in RBKC, and also active in Westminster, specialising in providing weekend and online services for people with substance misuse issues. It is a prime example of a service which provides holistic support to residents with complex physical and mental health needs, including older opiate and crack users – OCUs.
Turning Point DAWS Plus
DAWS Plus is active in both RBKC and Westminster, offering joined up support and treatment for homeless people within housing and wider healthcare services.
The main purpose of the service is to break the link between homelessness and substance misuse, both of which feed into and exacerbate one another.
Turning Point DAWS
Another branch of Turning Point’s DAWS is focussing on developing a drug and alcohol service specifically for women with substance misuse issues across the boroughs.
Aside from exercise classes, DAWS Women’s Service offers a variety of ‘Safe Spaces’, including art workshops, acupuncture sessions and support groups, as well as wellbeing events involving sexual health teams and homeless health clinical nurse specialists.
Club Drug Clinic (CDC)
The Club Drug Clinic (CDC) is a shining example of a leading service in the local area. It provides free confidential advice for people living in RBKC and Westminster.
The CDC has been nationally and internationally recognised as a highly specialised, unique service to reduce the harms of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and Club Drugs used by residents within RBKC and Westminster.
Night Stars
Night Stars is a volunteer night safety initiative targeting Westminster’s unique night-time economy, operating on Fridays between the hours of 7pm and 5am.
The service was formed in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, Capital Arches Group, Northbank and Heart of London Business Alliance, with volunteers aiming to ensure that Westminster’s nightlife remains a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors alike.