Hartlepool to receive over £2.2m to help in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse as Department of Health announces £40m funding for North East

Twelve local authorities across the North East are to get almost £40m in government funding to boost drug and alcohol treatment services and help cut crime.

The Department of Health and Social Care says the money will enable councils to recruit more staff to work with people with substance problems, support more prison leavers into treatment and recovery, and improve the quality of treatment they provide.

Officials in Hartlepool have welcomed the news and say the funding will help them to reach people who are currently not engaging with them.

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool’s Director of Public Health, said: “We are very pleased to receive this funding to further improve and expand our drug and alcohol treatment provision for local people over the next two years.

“The Hartlepool Public Health and Commissioning teams will work with the current substance misuse service START to identify both existing and new areas of service provision into which to channel this investment.

"This is likely to include offering even wider access to support services and also providing targeted and tailored support for people who use substances including alcohol and drugs who are not currently engaging with our services.

"The investment will also be used to help support the wider mental and physical health needs of people who use these substances.”

Hartlepool is set to receive just over £2.2million between now and 2025, with £769,527 this financial year, and an indicative allocation of £1,448,443 in 2024-25.

The government says as substance misuse is known to be one of the main causes of crime, this new funding will help make the streets safer.

Health Minister Neil O’Brien said: “Addictions drive about half of all theft, burglary and robbery, so boosting treatment for addicts will help cut crime.

“This funding will help improve the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol recovery services right across the country, helping more people access the support they need, saving lives and benefiting communities.”

The government’s current drug strategy set out an ambition to significantly increase capacity of treatment and recovery services as part of a whole system approach to tackling supply and demand.