Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Accepted
Inconsistent outcome measures for prisoners with substance misuse needs hinder effective evaluation.
Recommendation
We asked MoJ and HMPPS about how successful outcomes for prisoners with substance misuse needs are measured. HMPPS told us there is range of things that could 18 Committee of Public Accounts, Mental health in prisons, Eighth Report of Session 2017–19, HC 400, 13 December 2017 19 C&AG’s Report, para 22 20 Q63; C&AG’s Report, para 2.12 21 C&AG’s Report, para 2.12 22 Q63 23 C&AG’s Report, para 1.24 24 Qq 64–67; C&AG’s Report, para 3.7 25 Qq 69–70 26 C&AG’s Report, para 3.13 Resettlement support for prison leavers 11 be measured and that HMPPS and clinicians would “all measure slightly different things”. For example, while MoJ told us that DHSC evaluates different types of intervention and what is successful in helping people to stop substance misuse, HMPPS told us its primary interest is potential harm to the public and whether a prison leaver reoffends.27 Staffing pressures
Government Response Summary
The government agrees that more can be done to clearly define success in substance misuse outcomes and commits that the MoJ and DHSC will develop a proposal by Summer 2024 to address critical gaps in current metrics and outline plans to fill them, with these metrics to be routinely published.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2024 2.2 The government is committed to engaging offenders in substance misuse treatment at all stages of the criminal justice system to reduce reoffending. The National Combatting Drugs Outcomes Framework sets out the key metrics that the government is using to measure success, but acknowledges there is more that can be done to clearly define success and how this links to wider resettlement outcomes. 2.3 The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department for Health and Social Care will develop a proposal, including highlighting any critical gaps in current metrics and subsequent plans to fill them, to be reported through the established cross-government drugs governance and agreed by the Cross-Government Reducing Reoffending Board. The government will publish these metrics routinely, through existing publications such as the Drugs Strategy Annual Report.