Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many clinical commissioning groups have an addiction workforce strategy; and what plans his Department has to increase the number of local commissioners with an addiction workforce strategy.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing the needs of their local population, including people with drug problems, and commissioning services to meet these needs. Needs assessment and commissioning to support people who have co-occurring drug and mental health problems should be done in partnership with local National Health Service mental health trusts which are responsible for local mental health issues. NHS England and Public Health England do not hold any information on how many clinical commissioning groups have addiction workforce strategies.

NHS Digital does not hold information on the number of addiction psychiatrists employed in drug and addiction services.

Health Education England (HEE) is working with the Royal College of Psychiatry (RCPsych) to increase the exposure to psychiatry during doctor training (which can help increase applications for the specialty). HEE has already increased the number of doctors in the Foundation Programme doing a four month psychiatry post to 50%. The RCPsych will complete the review of this expansion with a view to HEE commissioning a further expansion from 2019.

HEE will also look to ensure, from 2019, that all doctors in the Foundation Programme undertake a ‘taster’ two week attachment in psychiatry unless they are doing a four month psychiatry post.