Combating Drugs and Alcohol Partnership

Drug and alcohol misuse

Substance misuse causes a wide range of physical and mental health problems for users, as well as family, friends, and communities.

Drug and alcohol misuse is a particular concern for Westminster and, Kensington and Chelsea, partly due to each borough's central London location, thriving night-time economy and large rough sleeper population.

Further information

Find out more about substance misuse in our  Public Health Annual Report 2023.

Partnership approach

Adopting a ‘whole systems approach’ involves partnering with key organisations including:

• NHS
• housing teams
• Metropolitan Police
• specialist treatment providers
• schools
• voluntary sector,
• children’s and family services
• employment services
• community safety teams
• Probation Service

Strategic priorities

The Combating Drugs and Alcohol Partnership (CDAP), led by the Director of Public Health, brings together these partners, specialists, and communities, including those with lived experience, to deliver to the national drug and alcohol strategy’s priorities:

• reducing use
• reducing related crime
• reducing related harm
• reducing supply of drugs
• increasing engagement in treatment
• improving recovery outcomes

Vulnerable groups

Additionally, the partnership has agreed on local priorities focussing on the following three groups as being particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of drug and alcohol use:

• children and young people
• criminal justice system
• older opiate and crack cocaine users

We have a wide range of local specialist substance misuse services working in these priority areas. We aim to ensure that these services are:

• high quality
• meeting residents’ needs
• included in the councils’ health and social support systems