Recommendations & Conclusions
14 items
20
Conclusion
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
The 10-Year Drugs Strategy recognises some harm reduction approaches but could go further. Abstinence-based recovery may not be an effective form of treatment for everyone. A broader range of harm reduction treatments are therefore required to help as many people into recovery as possible.
Government response. The government partially accepted the conclusion, stating it already provides a broad range of harm reduction interventions, including increasing naloxone availability and supporting local provision of other medicines. It committed to continuing to update guidance on evidence-based harm reduction interventions.
Home Office
21
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Government update the strategy to increase the range of harm reduction approaches available to support a person’s treatment and recovery from drugs in line with the approaches outlined in this report.
Government response. The government partially accepted the recommendation, stating it already provides a broad range of harm reduction interventions, including increasing naloxone availability and supporting local provision of other medicines. It committed to continuing to update guidance on evidence-based harm reduction interventions.
Home Office
23
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Combating Drugs Minister leads on devising a cross- departmental action plan to tackle stigma. In devising the action plan, the Government must engage with people with lived experience of drugs and stakeholders in the drug treatment and recovery sector to understand fully how stigma can affect …
Government response. The government partially accepts, agreeing on the importance of reducing stigma and committing to cross-government work and collaboration with devolved administrations. However, they reject the specific request for a published cross-departmental action plan, instead tasking OHID to lead a workstream …
Home Office
37
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We welcome the British Transport Police’s efforts to improve responses to child exploitation through the secondment of two Prevention Officers from the Children’s Society. We recommend that the Government work with other police forces with a dedicated County Lines Taskforce to pilot the inclusion of Prevention Officers within those teams, …
Government response. The government partially accepts, highlighting existing funding for the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre and specialist posts, but states it will "further consider" the specific recommendation to pilot Prevention Officers within County Lines Taskforces.
Home Office
40
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We recommend that Project ADDER be extended across all of England and Wales if the assessments indicate that the Project is effect in achieving all of its aims: reducing drug-related deaths, drug-related offending, drug use, and disrupting the supply and trafficking of drugs. If the Government does not extend Project …
Government response. The government partially accepts the recommendation, deferring a decision on extending Project ADDER until after the 2025 evaluation, but commits to being clear on how progress will be preserved in existing pilot locations beyond 2025, through mechanisms like Combating Drugs …
Home Office
49
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Government replicate Scotland’s medication-assisted treatment standards in England to ensure that a consistent, minimum standard of care is available to people accessing opioid substitution treatment. In doing so, the 78 Drugs Government must first consult stakeholders in the medical and drug treatment and recovery sectors on …
Government response. The government partially accepted the recommendation, stating it will review Scottish medication-assisted treatment standards to incorporate them into English guidance where appropriate, noting that England already uses a similar opioid substitution treatment self-assessment tool developed with stakeholder input.
Home Office
54
Conclusion
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We are concerned by the effect the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the provision of needle and syringe programmes. The UK must continue its efforts in preventing the spread of blood-borne viruses by ensuring needle and syringe programmes reach as wide a population as possible.
Government response. The government partially accepted, stating that existing programs already support blood-borne virus prevention and mentioning new funding via the SSMTR Grant (£1.3m) and a UKHSA pilot for data collection.
Home Office
55
Conclusion
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
The Combating Drugs Minister must work with the Department of Health and Social Care, the devolved administrations, and health partners to ensure that the provision of equipment—particularly low dead space syringes and safe water—is increased to reduce the transmission of blood-borne viruses and other illnesses. The Combating Drugs Minister must …
Government response. The government partially accepted, highlighting existing services and new investments through the SSMTR Grant (£1.3m for 2023/24), which specifies spending on low dead space syringes and supporting additional services. UKHSA is also planning a pilot for data collection.
Home Office
56
Conclusion
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
The evidence on the lifesaving effects of naloxone in counteracting opioid- related overdose is clear. We welcome the national naloxone programmes in the devolved nations but are concerned that no such programme exists in England. We also welcome the joint working between the Government and the devolved Drugs 79 administrations …
Government response. The government partially accepted, citing existing naloxone provision via local public health grants, £1.6 million from the SSMTR Grant for expansion, ongoing legislative changes by OHID to broaden supply, and efforts to implement availability in HMPPS community contact centres.
Home Office
57
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Government establish a national naloxone programme in England to bring it in line with the devolved nations. We also recommend that the Government speed up its work on expanding the provision of naloxone following the UK-wide consultation in 2021. Expanding provision must include any service and …
Government response. The government partially accepted, explaining that naloxone provision is already supported by local public health grants and £1.6 million from the SSMTR Grant. OHID is developing legislative changes to broaden supply, and work is underway with HMPPS to increase availability, …
Home Office
58
Conclusion
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
The efforts of UK police forces to roll out this life saving treatment is welcome. However, provision of naloxone across English forces is not universal, which risks creating a postcode lottery on the availability of this potentially life-saving treatment in England. Further, while we recognise the concerns of some officers …
Government response. The government partially accepted, affirming support for naloxone availability but stating that carrying it is an operational decision for Chief Constables. The NPCC, with Home Office and OHID support, is working to address barriers and develop national guidance for police …
Home Office
59
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Home Office requires all 43 police forces in England and Wales to roll out the voluntary provision of naloxone by operational officers. Volunteer officers must be provided with adequate training in the carrying and administration of naloxone before they can carry it on duty. The Home …
Government response. The government partially accepted, rejecting the requirement for mandatory rollout by all police forces, stating it's an operational decision for Chief Constables. However, the Home Office is supporting the NPCC in addressing barriers and developing national guidance for police officers …
Home Office
62
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We recommend that police forces record the use of diversion schemes in their force areas to develop a national picture and an understanding of best practice. The Home Office must regularly update the guidance to incorporate this evidence base.
Government response. The government aims to establish a more detailed national picture of Out of Court Disposals by examining their provision in all 43 police forces as part of an expansion pilot for drug possession offences. This work will provide an evidence …
Home Office
68
Recommendation
Third Report - Drugs
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Government supports researchers to conduct randomised control trials into the effectiveness of CBPMs to treat chronic pain. If the evidence base supports this, and it is deemed to be cost-effective, we recommend that the Government enables the use of CBPMs for this purpose and works with …
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation to support research into CBPMs for chronic pain, clarifying that researchers can seek scientific advice and apply for funding through the NIHR. They note that funding is competitive and emphasize the current lack of evidence, …
Home Office