TWO pioneering schemes are being run in Oxfordshire to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder.

The schemes which are the first of their kind in the South East, have been launched by the Oxfordshire Drug And Alcohol Team (DAAT) in partnership with police, the Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP).

The Alcohol Arrest Referral Scheme (AARS) has been set up to deal with binge drinkers who cause crime and disorder as a direct result of their alcohol use.

In line with a national pilot, the Substance Misuse Arrest Referral Team (SMART) is running the scheme across Oxfordshire's custody suites.

Chief Supt Shaun Morley, Oxfordshire's police commander and chairman of the DAAT, said: "The service is aimed at those arrested for any alcohol related offence, ranging from binge drinking to alcohol dependency.

"It identifies alcohol-linked problematic patterns of behaviour. Through education and support, it gives an early intervention to reduce such behaviour and make an impact on key anti-social issues.

"The ultimate aim is to reduce re-offending including anti-social, domestic abuse, violent behaviour and cases in court. In turn this will reduce the individual and social costs to society.

The Alcohol Treatment Scheme has been set up to enable hazardous drinkers to access community-based alcohol treatment. It is estimated that for every £1 spent on alcohol treatment £5 can be saved on health and social care costs.

This treatment pilot enables people to access individual support to address their drinking. Barry Beadle, from Cranstoun Drug Services, said: "This scheme has only been fully operational for a couple of months but has already seen measurable success seeing individuals get their life back on track, rather than loosing their families and careers through their drinking."

Jo Melling, director of the Oxfordshire DAAT, said: "The DAAT and our partners have driven forward the alcohol agenda. These two hard fought for pilots are the culmination of years of campaigning by the DAAT.

"We have been raising the funds in order to launch these schemes. The funds have come from a wide variety of sources including the Co-op, Waitrose and Hook Norton Brewery. Blenheim Palace also supported the initiative by hosting the partnership launch.

"These initiatives are the first of their kind in the South East and for the first time will see alcohol suppliers and producers working together with community safety partners to embrace the opportunity to tackle the minority of people whose risky drinking is impacting so significantly on the community."

On Saturday nights more than 70 per cent of the John Radcliffe Hospital emergency department workload is directly caused by alcohol. Alcohol costs the department an estimated £3.3m per year.

Jo Melling, from Oxfordshire PCT, said: "Oxfordshire is leading the way in developing treatment models that aim to reduce the harm caused to society by those minority for people whose drinking is problematic. These pilots are partnership working at its best"