Gloucestershire's drug action work rated 'Excellent'
22/12/2006
Gloucestershire’s Drug and Alcohol Team (DAAT) has been rated ‘excellent’ by the Healthcare Commission in a report published this week – one of only seven in the country.
The findings were released in a joint national report, which reveals the overall findings of a review carried out by the Commission and the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA).
The review, ‘Improving services for substance misuse,’ assessed whether local services prescribed drugs safely and appropriately and how well they plan treatment and co-ordinate services to meet the needs of the individual.
The review showed that drug treatment services in Gloucestershire are getting better. Gloucestershire’s Drug and Alcohol Team (DAAT) achieved the highest score overall (4) or ‘Excellent,’ one of few teams in the country to secure this mark.
Mental Health Trusts and Primary Care Trusts were also reviewed with Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust the only Mental Health Trust in the country achieving an ‘excellent’ rating. Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust was awarded an ‘excellent’ score overall based on the performance of its predecessor organisations.
The Gloucestershire Safer & Stronger Communities Partnership, which is responsible for the DAAT is made up of representatives from Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, the Police, Probation Service, County and District Councils, Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnerships and the Voluntary Sector.
Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, Jan Stubbings said:
“It is very positive to see that through effective partnerships, Gloucestershire is planning and co-ordinating services in the right way. Although we are very pleased with the report’s findings, we will look carefully to see where further improvements can be made.”
Interim Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Andrew Casey said:
“The local partnership is committed to improving services and the lives of those with substance misuse problems and it is good to see that this commitment, shared by all our partners, is being recognised.”
Ian Biggs, Head of the South West Region of the Healthcare Commission, said that the report is a tribute to all the partners in Gloucestershire Safer & Stronger Communities Partnership.
"In common with the rest of the country, drug misuse affects a large number of people in Gloucestershire. It has a major impact on them, their families and their communities.”
"Access to substance misuse services has improved dramatically in recent years and that improvement is helping to reduce problems such as the spread of blood-borne viruses including HIV and hepatitis and to increase safety by reducing drug-related crime.”
"The key to the national drug strategy is to provide more and improved treatment. Our assessment shows how Gloucestershire has taken that message to heart and demonstrated how an effective partnership can make a real difference to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities where these problems are most common."
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