Contact: Sue Wilks, Hampshire Drug Action Team Co-ordinator

Ext (87) 6391

1. Summary

1.1 This report describes the Hampshire Drug Action Team (DAT) Adult Treatment Plan which has been approved for implementation by the National Treatment Agency (NTA). It identifies priorities for 2003/04, including service developments in the following key areas: dual diagnosis, criminal justice, young peoples treatment provision, implementation of `Models of Care' (a de facto National Service Framework for Substance Misuse) and service user/carer involvement and support.

1.2 Members are asked to comment on the report and future reporting arrangements for DAT plans.

2. Background

2.1. The Social Care Policy Review Committee requested a presentation of the Drug Action Team's Adult Treatment Plan when commenting on proposals for a review of adult substance misuse services by Social Services. This report summarises that plan in the context of the broader work of the Drug Action Team.

2.2. The Hampshire Drug Action Team (DAT) is a multi-agency partnership, responsible for the local implementation of the Government's ten year drug strategy (1998 - 2008). The strategy was recently re-launched in December 2002 as `Tackling Drugs'.

2.2. The DAT Partnership is accountable to the Drug Strategy Directorate at the Home Office. A small DAT Support Unit has been established (hosted by Hampshire County Council within the Education Department), to enable the DAT to discharge its local responsibilities. (see Appendix A). The DAT is presently Chaired by the Assistant Chief Education Officer (Inclusion).

2.3. The DAT interfaces with all health bodies, the Strategic Health Authority for Hampshire & Isle of Wight, seven Primary Care Trusts, Provider NHS Trusts, Police, Probation and within Hampshire County Council: Social Services, Education, Youth Service, the Youth Offending Team, all Local Councils, the Voluntary and Independent sectors.

2.4. DAT Structure (see Appendix B)

3. Information

3.1 The national strategy `Tackling Drugs', focuses on four key areas:

3.1.1. Young People : - Preventing today's young people from becoming the problematic drug users of tomorrow;

3.1.2. Reducing Supply (Availability) : - Reducing the supply of illegal drugs and tackling the trafficking of all drugs;

3.1.3. Treatment & Harm Minimisation :- Reducing drug use and drug related offending through treatment and support. Reducing drug related deaths through harm minimisation;

3.1.4. Communities : - Reducing the harm that drugs cause to society - communities, individuals and their families. Reducing Drug related crime and its impact on communities.

3.2 The DAT must produce a plan for each strand of the strategy outlined above.

3.2.1. Adult Treatment Plan (from 2001) - (see Appendix C)

3.2.2. Young People's Substance Misuse Plan (from 2002)

3.2.3. Communities Plan (from 2003 onwards)

3.2.4. Availability Plan (from 2003 onwards)

3.3 The National Strategy (since 1998) has required Drug Action Teams to meet a national target `to increase the participation of problem drug users in treatment by fifty five per cent by 2004, and one hundred per cent by 2008'. The Adult Treatment Plan is the primary vehicle to ensure that this target is met both nationally and locally.

3.4 As national drug targets are increasingly mainstreamed, this target is now a Public Service Agreement for the Department of Health, a Best Value Performance Indicator for Local Authorities and an integral part of the Local Delivery Plans for PCT's. Drug misuse targets will also have an indirect impact on a range of other performance indicators.

4. Accountabilities

4.1 The DAT is required to report annually on its progress towards meeting national targets, primarily to the Drug Strategy Directorate at the Home Office via an `on-line' annual return.

4.2 The local plans, reflecting the national targets and local need are monitored and reviewed by the National Treatment Agency, Drug Prevention Advisory Service, Government Office South East Region, Strategic Health Authority, Social Services for the Regions and others at a regional level.

5. Financial Accountability at Local Level

5.1 The budgetary responsibilities of the DAT have been increasing yearly, as national funding streams are combined to create Pooled Budgets (see Appendix D). Approximately seventy percent of the investment is with adults (18 and over) who are misusing illegal substances. However in developing a sustainable, preventative strategy, work with young people is also important.

5.2 A financial system for these funds is in place, which recognises that DAT resources should remain separate from the County Council general funds. There is an ability to carry budgets over financial year end, when appropriate authority to do this has been granted by the national funding agencies. Hampshire County Council is presently acting as `banker' for a number of these funding streams.

5.3 The DAT is presently monitored internally and externally in respect of these budgets.

5.4 Where the County Council acts as `banker for DAT resources, financial accountability at the local level could be properly discharged by Member scrutiny through a Policy Review Committee.

6. Conclusion

6.1 The local adult treatment plan is one component of the implementation of the national drugs strategy, and comment is invited on the content and implications of the plan for Social Servcies.

6.2 This plan, and the three others covering young people, reducing supply, and communities have significant implications for a range of other County Council responsibilties including Social Services and Education. There are at present no systematic arrangments in place for Member scrutiny of these plans and the effective deployment of resources. It is therefore appropriate for Social Care Policy Review Committee to consider the merits of considering all four DAT plans together, perhaps in a joint forum with other relevant Policy Review Committees, and what future annual reporting arrangments might be.

7. Recommendation

The following decisions are sought:

1. That Social Care Policy Review Committee comment on the contents of the Adult Treatment Plan

2. That the Social Care Policy Review Committee receives future DAT plans and returns for information and financial scrutiny

3. That the Social Care Policy Review Committee considers calling for joint meetings with Education Policy Review Committee for joint comment on the plans produced by the Hampshire Drug Action Team.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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