THE promotion of a responsible attitude towards alcohol consumption is a key part of a blueprint for improving health, social care and well-being in Monmouthshire.

The county's health and local authority bosses have pledged to work together to promote responsible drinking after proposals for tackling the issue received strong support from the public.

Next year Monmouthshire Local Health Board and Monmouthshire county council will draw up plans for schemes to raise awareness of the issues arising from alcohol consumption.

Existing services dealing with the issue in the area are likely to be reshaped during 2006/07, based on a new alcohol harm reduction strategy.

Promotion of responsible drinking is among the priorities in the health, social care and wellbeing strategy for Monmouthshire compiled by the LHB and the council. The strategy outlines how issues such as drinking and smoking will be addressed up to 2008, and how the two organisations will work together to drive and encourage improvements in health.

Promoting independence and quality of life among older people in the county is also a big part of the strategy.

The LHB and the council are to focus on providing alternatives, where appropriate, to hospital admission or re-admission, boosting primary care and strengthening links between primary and community care services.

This approach will link to the setting up of falls prevention programmes and improved access to leisure facilities, all geared towards improving or maintaining the health of older people.

Wales' 22 LHBs have been charged by Assembly Health Minister Jane Hutt with working with their local councils to produce health, social care and wellbeing strategies, so they work together to improve health, rather than acting in isolation, producing non-complementary policies, as has happened in the past.

Monmouthshire county council sounded a note of caution, however, warning in a document on the strategy that no new money is likely to be available for it or the LHB to pay for new projects.

Funding is likely to have to be taken from services that are deemed ineffective.