Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Lack of fundamental shift towards system-wide change, alongside recruitment and retention challenges.
Recommendation
Dame Carol told us that she had challenged government to work together in a more collaborative and integrated way to deliver system-wide change. The whole system needs to join up to support longer-term recovery and enhanced rehabilitation, including mental health support, housing and getting people into work.29 We were concerned that there had not been a fundamental shift in approach, with the NAO’s report showing that much of the strategy funding had been used to expand or extend existing projects.30 The JCDU told us that it was starting to see change – such as the creation of 10,000 of the intended 12,000 new drug treatment places in the last six months (an increase on the March 2023 figure of 2,600 in the NAO’s report).31 The Home Office also provided written evidence after the session on what it and other departments are doing to improve the provision of housing and support for prison leavers with drug addiction issues.32 However, the JCDU acknowledged that reforms, including cultural change, are long-term aims and it will take 20 Correspondence from Department for Health and Social Care, 4 January 2024 21 Q 3 22 Q 58 23 Q 6 24 Q 55 25 Q 79 26 Q 102 27 Qq 16, 106 28 Q 113 29 Q 3 30 Q 55; C&AG’s Report para 9 31 Q 55; C&AG’s Report para 2.16 32 Correspondence from Home Office, 15 December 2023 Reducing the harm from illegal drugs 11 time to see the changes envisaged by Dame Carol.33 In addition, local areas have found it harder to recruit more professional workers, such as psychologists and mental health nurses, and retention in the sector is a problem, with turnover of 27% across third sector treatment providers.34
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation with an April 2025 target, committing to a whole-system approach to reducing drug-related harm. Specific actions include coordinating the Synthetic Opioids Taskforce, developing an early warning system, improving the treatment workforce, and enhancing links between prison and community treatment services.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2025 2.2 At the core of the government’s strategy is a commitment to a long-term approach, evolving and learning from the evidence and emerging threats over the 10-year period. Building on this commitment and the National Audit Office’s recommendations, JCDU and departments have well-established plans for longer term delivery and evaluation, and have put in place the governance to ensure the JCDU and departments take a whole-system approach to learning from what works. 2.3 The government is taking robust action to develop a whole-system approach to reducing drug-related harm. For example, the cross-government Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is leading and coordinating the system-wide response to the increased risk posed by synthetic opioids to the United Kingdom. It is supporting collaborative efforts including the DHSC-led development of an early warning and drugs harm surveillance system to enable a more long-term, resilient response to emerging threats. 2.4 Additionally, DHSC has led on the development of a 10-year workforce strategic plan to build back quality in the treatment workforce and has accelerated its Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths action plan to take account of the risks of synthetic opioids. Wider government programmes aim to join up services to address structural barriers to recovery. For example, improving links between prison and community treatment services through the nationwide recruitment of Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators and the implementation of a new information-sharing project to enable probation to support prison leavers' attendance at treatment appointments. There is also ongoing work to enhance the recovery orientation of local treatment and recovery systems and improve support for co-occurring substance misuse and mental health needs. Collaboration across departments and agencies is key to delivering this work. 2.5 Plans will be kept under review and adapted to take account of the evolving evidence base. This will ensure the government delivers what works and progresses towards its long-term strategic goals.