Appointments To Advisory Panel On Substance Misuse

Rebecca Evans, Minister for Social Services and Public Health, has today (Friday 24 March) announced appointments to the Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Richard Ives has been appointed as Chair of the Panel for an interim period of three months, running from 1st March 2017 to 31st May 2017. Meanwhile, Professor Simon Moore has been re-appointed to the Panel, from 24th March 2017 to 23rd March 2020. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse is an independent expert advisory Welsh Government Sponsored Body established under general executive powers of the Welsh Ministers and supported by the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The remit of the Panel is to advise on measures to prevent or reduce substance misuse, the associated health and social harms and review implementation of the Welsh Government’s Substance Misuse Strategy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Panel will consist of not less than eight and not more than 12 Panel Members, all of whom are independent of the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Members of the Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse (APoSM), including the Chair, are not paid, but are reimbursed for reasonable travel and subsistence costs. They have a time commitment of up to 10 days per annum. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rebecca Evans said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are committed to tackling and reducing the harms associated with substance misuse in Wales. I am pleased that Richard Ives has agreed to the offer of appointment as Chair of the Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse for this interim period and that Professor Simon Moore has agreed to the offer of re-appointment.. I am confident their continued expertise will be invaluable.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​