Over 2008/9 Nottingham Crime & Drugs Partnership conducted a review of the local drug treatment system. This review has been undertaken in order to ensure compliance with national guidance, relevance to local need and increased effectiveness of the treatment system. The review is now complete and Nottingham Crime & Drugs Partnership Board signed off the final proposals for a new treatment system in April.

The review has generated a new model for the drug treatment system which will be implemented over 2009/10, bringing about key changes to the treatment system and current drug treatment services.

The new model for the drug treatment system is downloadable from here

Some of the most significant changes to the treatment system that will be seen between now and April 2010 are:

• There will no longer be any drug treatment assertive outreach provision and services delivering these outreach for drug users will stop delivering in year. Instead we will reach out to drug users through empowering and skilling a wide range of agencies, services and groups to identify and refer drug users into treatment, make the treatment system easier to access for the first time, and provide better advertising and promotion of drug treatment services.
• There will be increased and improved provision for non-heroin and crack users from a single point within the treatment system.
• There will be a new treatment service for heroin and crack users that will provide a holistic service for clients, from advice and information right through to structured treatment programmes. As a new service this will go out to open tender within the year and a provider identified.
• After care provision will be opened up to clients who are not yet drug free to support more people to live full and fully contributing lives within our local communities.
• A mentoring strategy will be developed and mentoring expanded to help people through their treatment journey and maximise positive outcomes of treatment. Mentoring will also be used as a key mechanism to provide culturally specific support to those in drug treatment.
• Treatment for drug using offenders will be further integrated through the Adult Offender Team to maximise the effectiveness of treatment for this client group.

We will regularly update the Treatment System Review pages on the CDP website with information on the implementation of the new treatment system model throughout 2009/10 and any changes as they occur. There will also be the opportunity for stakeholders to post questions about the review which we will respond to in person and online.

Click here to download the Drug and Alcohol Treatment System Review report