Oct. 18 2024
Source Page: Virtual reality and wearable technology pilot to cut drug deathsFound: From wearable technology to AI-powered tools, these innovative projects highlight the power of collaboration
Oct. 18 2024
Source Page: Virtual reality and wearable technology pilot to cut drug deathsFound: From wearable technology to AI-powered tools, these innovative projects highlight the power of collaboration
Sep. 02 2024
Source Page: Scottish Prison Service correspondence regarding drug recovery wings: FOI releaseFound: Scottish Prison Service correspondence regarding drug recovery wings: FOI release
Apr. 18 2024
Source Page: Number of psychiatric, addiction, or learning disability beds by local authority: FOI releaseFound: I'm writing a local study on alcohol recovery in Scotland, and I've come across your webpage detailing
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help ensure the rehabilitation of offenders with a history of substance abuse.
Answered by Edward Argar - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
We know that substance misuse drives reoffending, and are committed to supporting offenders to overcome addictions and turn their lives around. Our landmark Drugs Strategy sets out the ambitious cross-government 10-year plan to address illegal drug use, underpinned by record additional investment – as part of which, the Ministry of Justice is supporting offenders at every stage of the criminal justice system into recovery.
In prison we have dramatically increased the number of incentivised substance-free living (ISFL) units, where prisoners commit to living drug-free with incentives and regular testing. Over 70 prisons now have an ISFL, up from 25 in summer 2022. To ensure prison leavers maintain their progress in treatment, we have recruited Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators nationwide to improve links between prison and community treatment services.
We are also supporting the rehabilitation of offenders with substance misuse needs in the community. We have increased probation’s drug testing capacity and we are piloting Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), to divert offenders with substance misuse and complex needs away from short custodial sentences into enhanced community-based sentences. ISCs aim to tackle the root cause of offending behaviour through robust supervision and interventions, frequent and random drug testing, and regular reviews with a single judge.
Sep. 17 2024
Source Page: Correspondence regarding Prostitution Strategy: FOI releaseFound: A copy of all communications from 01/01/2021 between the Scottish Government and sex worker-led groups
May. 14 2024
Source Page: Expansion of life-saving opioid overdose treatmentFound: The government’s 10-year drug strategy, From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and lives
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent steps his Department has taken to (a) prevent and (b) reduce rates of homelessness among people with (i) long-term drug addictions, (ii) long-term serious mental health issues and (iii) learning disabilities.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
My department continues to work closely with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), the NHS and public health bodies to improve health and housing outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. In partnership with OHID, we are providing up to £186.5 million over three years (from 2022-25) for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant to support local areas to implement evidence-based drug and alcohol treatment and wrap around support for people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough. We are also providing up to £53 million to fund housing support interventions which will improve the recovery outcomes for people in drug and alcohol treatment with a housing need.
Mentions:
1: Deirdre Costigan (Lab - Ealing Southall) the rain, although it does not offer much protection from the biting cold. - Speech Link
2: Chris Vince (LAB - Harlow) Many of the people I supported suffered from alcohol and drug addictions. - Speech Link
3: Lee Pitcher (Lab - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) That would provide the support they require for their addictions and mental health. - Speech Link
4: Lee Pitcher (Lab - Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) As part of our futures strategy, is there an opportunity to learn from things like the Recovery Games - Speech Link
5: Rushanara Ali (Lab - Bethnal Green and Stepney) The beneficiaries I spoke to emphasised how important trusted relationships with staff are to their recovery - Speech Link
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has set targets for the (a) reduction of (i) drug and (ii) alcohol use and (b) number of people receiving treatment for related addictions.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
The Government published a 10-year drug strategy in December 2021 which sets out three core priorities: cutting off drug supply, creating a world class treatment and recovery system, and achieving a generational shift in demand for drugs. The strategy aims to reduce crime, drug related deaths, harm, and overall drug use and is backed by significant new investment. The Government has invested an additional £780 million in drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services, of which £532 million is dedicated to rebuilding local authority commissioned substance misuse treatment services in England. The drug strategy includes a specific target of getting 54,500 more people in drug and alcohol treatment between 2022/23 and 2024/25. Success is being measured against a system of local and national outcomes frameworks. More information on the strategy is available at the following link:
Delivery of the drugs strategy is a cross-government priority; the Joint Combatting Drugs Unit (JCDU) is a cross-Government team, based in the Home Office, that was set up to coordinate the drug strategy delivery across all relevant Government departments. The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the JCDU to work to achieve the aims of the drug strategy.
No specific targets have been set for the reduction of alcohol use in England; however, the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines recommends that adults consume no more than 14 units of alcohol per week. According to the 2021 Health Survey for England, around 80% of adults in England drink within these guidelines. Through the NHS Long Term Plan, the Government is investing £27 million to establish alcohol care teams in the 25% of acute hospitals in England with the greatest need. These specialist teams identify alcohol dependent patients admitted to hospital for any reason, start them on specialist treatment as inpatients, and facilitate them into community-based substance misuse treatment upon discharge.