Website of the Department of Health

Policy

Drugs: protecting families and communities. The 2008 Drug Strategy
The new ten-year drug strategy (2008-2018) aims to restrict the supply of illegal drugs and reduce the demand for them. It focuses on protecting families and strengthening communities.  The drug strategy is a cross-government initiative. While the Home Office has overall responsibility for delivery of the strategy, the Department of Health is responsible for drug treatment aspects which form a key part of the strategy.

• Drugs: protecting families and communities. The 2008 Drug Strategy (opens new window)

Treatment Funding

Pooled drug treatment budget
The Government has made substantial investment in drug treatment with £604 million being spent in 2008/09.  Out of this investment £398 million is distributed directly to Drug Action Teams.  This is known as the pooled drug treatment budget.  The remaining £206 million is spent by local NHS services and other local agencies on drug treatment.

• Funding by local area - Pooled Drug Treatment Budget 2008-2011

Funding for detox & rehab services
The Department of Health has invested additional funding of £54.3 million to increase the availability of drug and alcohol inpatient detoxification and residential rehabilitation services. These services help drug users beat their addiction and support abstinence from drug use.

• Download Funding allocations for detox and rehab services 2007/08 and 2008/09 (PDF, 300K)

Confirmation of funding for local areas to reduce young people’s substance misuse in England
19 March 2008
Funding for local areas to reduce young people's substance misuse in England has been confirmed in a letter sent to PCT Chief Executives in England. Details are available in the letter below.

• Confirmation of funding for local areas to reduce young people's substance misuse in England

Guidance

Drug Misuse and Dependence: UK Guidelines on Clinical Management (2007)
To support improvements in the quality of drug treatment, in 2007 the Department of Health together with the other UK administrations published updated Guidelines on the Clinical Management of Drug Dependence.  The 2007 Guidelines are intended for all clinicians providing treatment of drug misuse in the UK.  They are based on the most up-to-date evidence on how to provide drug treatment for patients.

• Drug Misuse and Dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management, Department of Health (England) and the devolved administrations (2007) (opens new window)

Models of Care for Treatment of Adult Drug Misusers: Update 2006
The National Treatment Agency (NTA) has published best practice guidelines on the commissioning and delivery of drug treatment in Models of Care for Treatment of Adult Drug Misusers: Update 2006.

• Download Models of Care for Treatment of Adult Drug Misusers: Update 2006 (PDF, 882K)

Further guidance on drug treatment is available on the NTA website (see below).

• National Treatment Agency Clinical Guidance (opens new window)

NICE Guidance
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on the treatment and care of drug misusers.

• NICE Guidelines on Drug Misuse: Opioid Detoxification, July 2007 (opens new window)
• NICE Guidelines on Drug Misuse: Psychosocial Interventions, July 2007 (opens new window)
• NICE Guidance on Interventions to Reduce Substance Misuse Among Vulnerable Young People, March 2007 (opens new window)
• NICE Guidance on the use of methadone and buprenorphine for opioid dependence, January 2007 (opens new window)
• NICE Guidance on the use of Naltrexone for the management of opiod dependence, January 2007 (opens new window)

Drug-related harm

Reducing Drug-related Harm: An Action Plan (2007)
The Department of Health and the National Treatment Agency launched a Harm Reduction Action Plan in May 2007 to help reduce further the number of people dying from drug overdoses or contracting blood-borne viruses from contaminated needles.

• Reducing Drug-related Harm: An Action Plan (2007)

Dangerousness of Drugs - A Guide To The Risks And Harms Associated With Substance Misuse (2003)
This publication was prepared for the Department of Health by the National Addiction Centre.  The purpose of the report is to provide a basic reference document, targeting non-medical practitioners and others who work with drug issues, with a core set of risk factors associated with a range of licit and illicit substances commonly used in the UK.

• Download Dangerousness of Drugs - A Guide to the Risks and Harms Associated with Substance Misuse (2003) (PDF, 1159K)

Guidance for Drug Action Teams on developing local confidential inquiries into drug related deaths (2003)
This Department of Health guidance provides advice for Drug Action Teams on developing local confidential inquiries into drug related deaths.  The guidance aims to inform the improvement of services for drug users so drug related deaths can be reduced.

• Guidance for Drug Action Teams on developing local confidential inquiries into drug related deaths (2003)

Preventing overdose: guidance for drug action teams on providing resuscitation training for drug users (2002)
In March 2001 a pilot scheme to test overdose response training was run by needle exchanges across seven NHS regions, funded by the Department of Health. Evaluation reports from the pilot show that it was extremely successful both in terms of ease of running the sessions and their value to participants. As part of the government's Action Plan to reduce drug-related deaths, the Department of Health has decided to use the successes of the pilot and lessons which were learned to provide a clear and comprehensive set of recommendations on commissioning and running resuscitation training sessions for drug users for DATs to use in their respective areas.

• Preventing overdose: guidance for drug action teams on providing resuscitation training for drug users

Reducing Drug Related Deaths - A report by The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (2000)

• Reducing Drug Related Deaths - A report by The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (2000) (opens new window)

The Government response to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs report into drug related deaths (2001)

• Download The Government Response to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs report into drug-related deaths (2001) (PDF, 105K)

Cannabis

Cannabis and your mental health
The Department of Health has made available a mental health support pack for mental health practitioners and patients.  It emphasises the significant risks cannabis consumption can have for those with mental health problems, and gives advice on managing this. 

• Download How cannabis can affect people with mental health problems (2006 - for mental health practitioners) (PDF, 81K)
• Cannabis and your mental health (2006 - for patients)
• Cannabis and your mental health - How much do you really know? (2006 - Quiz card for patients) (opens new window)

In-patient and Rehab Services

Initial Guide for the Commissioning of In-Patient and Residential Rehabilitation Drug and Alcohol Treatment Interventions (2006)
The Department of Health (in partnership with the National Treatment Agency and the Home Office) published this initial good practice guidance for those responsible for the commissioning of in-patient drug and alcohol treatment and residential rehabilitation (Tier 4 interventions). It precedes further guidance published in 2008 (see below).

• Initial guide for the commissioning of in-patient and residential rehabilitation drug and alcohol treatment interventions as part of treatment systems

Capital development programme for inpatient and residential rehabilitation substance misuse (drug and alcohol) services 2007/08 and 2008/09, Addendum Guidance Notes (2008)
This document provides additional guidance to Regional Forums, local drug and alcohol partnerships and providers in assuring delivery of the capital development programme for Tier 4 services. It details recommendations for assurance of the capital projects and reallocation of funds if a project is unsuccessful during the delivery stages.  This guidance should be considered in tandem with the guidance published in 2006 (see above).

• Download Capital Development programme for inpatient and residential rehabilitation substance misuse (drug and alcohol) services 2007-08 and 2008-09 Addendum Guidance Notes April 2008 (PDF, 110K)

Research

The National Treatment Outcome Research Study
Changes in Substance Use, Health and Criminal Behaviour One Year after Intake (1998)
This study was established to monitor treatment outcomes of a large sample of drug misusers.  This report provides treatment outcomes one year after entering treatment.

• The National Treatment Outcome Research Study - Changes in substance use, health and criminal behaviours one year after intake (1998)

The National Treatment Outcome Research Study
Changes in Substance Use, Health and Criminal Behaviour in the five years after Intake (2001)
This study was established to monitor treatment outcomes of a large sample of drug misusers.  This report provides treatment outcomes five years after entering treatment.

• The National Treatment Outcome Research Study: Changes in substance use, health and criminal behaviour in the five years after intake

Volatile Substance Abuse

A Framework for Volatile Substance Abuse 2005
The Department of Health in partnership with other Government departments developed this framework which sets out a strategic direction for addressing Volatile Substance Abuse.

• Download A Framework for VSA 2005 (PDF, 309K)

Volatile Substance Abuse Mortality Study
The Department of Health funds annual research to monitor deaths associated with volatile substance abuse. The research is carried out by St George’s University of London. The annual reports are available on their website link below.

• Volatile Substance Abuse Mortality Study (opens new window)

Young People

Every Child Matters: Change for Children - Young People and Drugs (2005)
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is the lead Government department on issues relating to young people and drugs.  DCSF, the Home Office and the Department of Health have agreed a joint approach to prevent the harm caused by drugs to children and young people.

• Every Child Matters: Change for Children - Young People and Drugs (2005) (opens new window)

STATISTICS

The National Treatment Agency (NTA) has responsibility for monitoring the performance of the drug treatment system in England.  The NTA produces various performance management reports and statistical releases.  Further details are available on the NTA website.  You can also find data on drug-related deaths on the NTA website.

• National Treatment Agency - Facts and Figures (opens new window)
• National Treatment Agency - Drug-related deaths (opens new window)

The UK Focal Point on Drugs is based at the Department of Health and the North West Public Health Observatory at the Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University. The Focal Point collates data and information on the drug situation in the UK and report it to the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) based in Lisbon. Further information is available on the UK Focal Point website.

• UK Focal Point website (opens new window)

The Information Centre publishes an annual survey carried out in participating schools on drug use among young people in England - 

• Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England (opens new window)

Statistics on drug crime are published by the British Crime Survey.  

• British Crime Survey (opens new window)