Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Accepted
Ensure JCDU and departments understand barriers for diverse drug user cohorts, enabling targeted local authority action.
Conclusion
The JCDU and departments have not put sufficient emphasis on the importance of addressing the specific needs of different cohorts of people who use drugs. It is unacceptable that drug-related deaths in England increased by 80% between 2011 and 2021, to nearly 3,000 people each year. Drug use is highest amongst younger people. In June 2022, 19% of 16–24-year-olds reported having taken drugs, with 5% reporting having taken Class A drugs. Despite this, the 2021 strategy makes little reference to age, gender or ethnicity, nor how people with different characteristics may experience drug misuse and treatment. We were also concerned to hear that reductions in treatment services over the past decade have meant there is insufficient focus on targeting different cohorts of people affected by drugs. For example, the number of young people in treatment for substance misuse fell by 50% between 2010–11 and 2021–22. Further, the JCDU says that it recognises the barriers and challenges faced by women needing drug treatment, but could not provide any specific examples of local treatment services for women. Recommendation 5: The JCDU and departments should ensure that the barriers faced by differing cohorts of people who use drugs (such as women, young people, people from minority ethnic backgrounds) are properly understood and assure themselves that local authorities are sufficiently targeting these groups.
Government Response Summary
The government states it has commissioned work to understand barriers faced by protected groups and has issued Drug Strategy guidance for local partners on equality of access. Current DHSC work includes enhancing data tools, providing targeted support, workforce development, and implementing a new commissioning quality standard.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. across the strategy’s whole system approach to track progress towards better outcomes and avoid any unintended consequences, such as widening inequalities’. This commitment has included specific work on addressing different patterns of use and service access needs in treatment and recovery experienced by people from protected groups. Work commissioned by DHSC found that while some of the differences could be explained by other factors, such as age and deprivation, there are cultural barriers to accessing and engaging with treatment and support services, including stigma and lack of culturally competent services. This is why the strategy sets out the ambition for a system that will promote equality and meet the needs of all communities, including people from ethnic minority backgrounds and women. The role of local partnerships is essential here. Drug Strategy guidance for local delivery partners, published in June 2022, sets out how ‘equality of access and quality’ should be adopted as a key principle by Combating Drugs Partnerships. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning services which meet the needs of different groups and populations. Current work by DHSC to support them to do this includes: • enhancing data tools to better inform local needs assessments; • providing targeted support to local areas; • supporting workforce development; • implementation of a new commissioning quality standard; • commissioning relevant research; and • sharing good practice. Across the strategy the government will further develop the supporting measures in its national outcomes framework to better understand differential impacts across protected groups and what more it can do to address them.