Wiltshire and Swindon local drug intelligence and alert process

The protocol involves the appropriate sharing of information in the community, which is then circulated to key stakeholders and the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities South-West.

Where identified, new or novel psychoactive substances that are not yet classified by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, will be reviewed and considered under this process.

The local drug information process is the same for both adults and young people under the age of 18, although actions required may vary between stakeholders.

There is one local drug information system distribution list for each local authority area, which is managed by Wiltshire Council Public Health Team and Swindon Borough Council Public Health team, and reviewed on an annual basis.

It is important to consider the context of individuals circumstances within the alert, including adult and children safeguarding concerns, and vulnerable groups of people.

The drug alert follows three key stages, the responsibilities and actions for which differ, depending on whether the report is submitted during, or outside, business hours.

The three key stages of the drug alert process are:

1. receiving intelligence
2. assessing the intelligence
3. responding to assessed intelligence appropriately

Stage 1: Receiving intelligence

Responsibility: the individual submitting the Local Drug Information Systems (LDIS) form: LDIS reporting form June 2024 (PDF, 139 KB)(opens new window)

Action: the LDIS form should be completed and sent to the appropriate area team:

• SubstanceUseTeam@wiltshire.gov.uk for Wiltshire reporting during business hours
• SubstanceMisuseTeam@swindon.gov.uk for Swindon reporting during business hours

Business hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Inboxes are monitored by members of the drugs and alcohol team. 

Stage 2: Assessing and verifying the information

Responsibility: the LDIS panel (a multi-agency panel made up of multiple services).

Action: on receipt of an LDIS form during business hours, the appropriate area Public Health team (Wiltshire, or Swindon) will review it and, if required, schedule a LDIS panel meeting to assess and verify the information and agree next steps.

Any drugs intelligence is usually assessed within 24 hours if the impact is minimal; requiring an information-only circulation or a one-off incident, for example. Timelier assessments will be made if it is considered there is a significant risk of harm, or risk to life.

The intelligence is assessed using the current PHE national matrix (see Appendix B in our Appendices), it includes the following criteria:

Grading questions:

1. local relevance
   • what geographic area is affected?
   • does the problem seem likely to spread?
     • if localised and likely to remain so, it will be unlikely to merit wider circulation
   • could the substances may be distributed via the internet?
2. anecdotal report
   • does the report come directly or indirectly from drug users?
   • is the information plausible?
     • how likely is this and how could this be known without forensic information? Do not consider a report if the information is purely anecdotal and there is no further evidence to support it
3. source of evidence
   • is the information from a reliable source (for example, hospital or police report)?
4. forensic evidence
   • is there forensic or other evidence of the drug, potency or contamination involved?
     • if no (or poor) evidence, it will be harder to justify wider circulation of the information
5. confirmed harm
   • are the consequences minor or is there an immediate risk of death or serious harm?
   • are any vulnerable groups involved?

Efficacy questions:

1. media focus
   • is the press or social media reporting the story and is it prompting concerns?
   • is it being reported inaccurately or in an unhelpful way?
2. potential impact of alert
   • can the drug be identified and is there something specific to say about the risks of the drug?
   • can the harm be reduced or the drug be avoided?
3. is the information going to be counterproductive?
   • will it encourage the use of a new or novel dangerous substance?
   • will an alert cause individuals to seek out a dangerous substance?

Stage 3: Responding to assessed intelligence appropriately

Responsibility: the appropriate area LDIS panel.

Action: information will be assessed and graded, as follows, according to the evidence received:

• weak evidence - do not consider an alert
• medium evidence - only consider if supported by multiple criteria
• strong evidence - consider an alert
• exceptional circumstance - consider an alert

The full grading matrix is available in Appendix B, on our Appendices page.

Possible responses include:

• no further action
• share information for information only but not as a formal drug alert
• issue a formal drug alert
• report to the regional and national team for consideration as a national alert

Depending on the drug alert, we will aim to supply additional information on the actual drug and the risks to key stakeholders.

The substance use teams will work closely with stakeholders to ensure any necessary support services are in place to manage any actions that result from the alert. After each alert, any lessons learnt will be recorded and a note of any onward mitigating actions will be made to help inform future practice.

Stage 1: Receiving intelligence

Responsibility: the individual submitting the Local Drug Information Systems (LDIS) form: LDIS reporting form June 2024 (PDF, 139 KB)(opens new window)

Action: Complete LDIS reporting form and send to the appropriate area team's out of hours contact (see our Appendices page for Wiltshire and Swindon out of hours contacts).

Please make sure you call the telephone numbers listed in the appropriate area out of hours contacts teams to notify them that an LDIS form has been submitted.

Stages 2 and 3: Assess and respond to intelligence

Responsibility: out of hours colleagues.

Action: there is an expectation that managers within each of the out of hours organisations, in the respective local authority areas, take appropriate action based on the information contained within the LDIS form to make their staff aware. Communication to service users/clients should only happen once the intelligence has been assessed and graded by the LDIS panel. 

The completed LDIS form should not be circulated with the wider LDIS distribution list until agreed by the LDIS panel. An LDIS panel will not be convened to assess and grade the intelligence out of hours, however if the matter is deemed urgent by either Wiltshire Police, Great Western Hospital or South-West Ambulance Service Foundation Trust and cannot wait until in hours, either agency may initiate the Op Link process using their organisations mechanisms.

If the matter is not deemed to be urgent, no further action is required from out of hours colleagues. The Wiltshire Public Health team or Swindon Borough Council Public Health team will convene an LDIS panel at the earliest convenience in hours to review and assess the intelligence and agree whether any further actions are required.

For information regarding how your personal data is handled, see our privacy notices:

Wiltshire Council privacy notice

Swindon Borough Council privacy notice (swindon.gov.uk).