PARTNERS UNITE TO STRENGTHEN SOUTH YORKSHIRE'S RESPONSE TO DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCY

Published 18 September 2026 at 3:30pm

People with lived experience joined senior leaders, commissioners, academic and operational experts to drive a fresh approach to recovery, prevention and reducing reoffending.

More than 60 representatives from across South Yorkshire's health, policing, criminal justice, local authority, prison, voluntary and community sectors came together this week to strengthen the region's collective response to drug and alcohol dependency.

The South Yorkshire Dependency and Recovery Roundtable, held at the New York Stadium in Rotherham earlier this week (Tuesday 15 September), explored how services can work differently to better support recovery, reduce harm and prevent offending.

The event considered the significant role addiction has in driving vulnerability, crime and reoffending. It examined how partners can strengthen collaboration across South Yorkshire to improve recovery opportunities and better outcomes for individuals, families and communities.

Delegates heard from a range of substance misuse experts who shared insights into academic research, the local and national picture on drug and alcohol treatment and recovery, drug testing and referrals in police custody, and work taking place with people in prisons.

Attendees also heard a powerful account from someone sharing their experience of dependency and recovery, highlighting the importance of designing services around the needs of those who use them and giving them hope and aspirations.

The discussions reflected the findings of Dame Carol Black's From Harm to Hope review, which sets out the need for a whole-system approach to tackling drug and alcohol dependency through prevention, treatment and wider social support. Partners agreed that dependency is often an underlying factor in exploitation, poor health and repeat contact with the criminal justice system, and that lasting change can only be achieved through coordinated action.

Breaking cycles of offending and harm is a key priority within the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan, and the roundtable provided an opportunity for partners to reflect on progress made since From Harm to Hope, review evidence of what works, identify gaps in support and explore opportunities for greater alignment across services.

Deputy Mayor for Policing and Public Safety, Kilvinder Vigurs, said:

“We know that drug and alcohol dependency affects every part of our communities. It is linked to vulnerability, poor health, homelessness, offending and exploitation and we see the impact on our society. Tackling these issues requires more than any single organisation can achieve alone. As the Deputy Mayor for South Yorkshire, one of my roles is to bring people together to look for improving opportunities to work better together.

“This roundtable was about challenging ourselves and each other to think differently about how services are designed and delivered to provide the best chance for recovery.

“The expertise and insight in the room was invaluable, but the voices of people who have experienced dependency and recovery first-hand remind us why this work matters. By working together across health, criminal justice, local government, the voluntary sector and our communities, we can build a system that intervenes earlier, offers diversion, supports recovery more effectively and ultimately helps create safer, healthier communities across South Yorkshire.”

“Importantly, this is not just a one-off event. I will be monitoring progress and driving organisations to be relentless in their approach to supporting people tackle their dependencies.”

Throughout the day, partners developed a shared understanding of opportunities to intervene and help people tackle their addiction. Discussions explored the complexity of need, key transition points where people can become vulnerable, and opportunities for earlier intervention and support. An important message was that change comes with supportive relationships and having positive pull factors.

The roundtable also highlighted strengths within the existing system while identifying areas where interventions are not always joined up or consistent. Partners began exploring both short-term and long-term opportunities to improve pathways into treatment and other necessary support, such as accommodation and work, which are necessary for long-term recovery.

The event concluded with a commitment from partners to continue working collectively within their local partnership arrangements to strengthen recovery pathways, reduce harm, improve wellbeing and break cycles of offending across South Yorkshire.