Recommendation 81

Referrals exceed availability for drug treatment, too. Justin Russell told us waiting lists “are not huge” for community-based drug treatment services commissioned by local authorities. 150 He added that there had been “a big drop” in the availability of such services, “partly because it is very expensive and they can only be commissioned on a consortium basis” if service providers are to be viable (see Chapter 4 for further information on the co-commissioning of services). 151 He also pointed out that “there is a lack of residential services” for drug treatment, in addition to issues related to services in the community. 152 We were told that “residential substance misuse rehabilitation services are sparse and it is very much a ‘post code lottery’.” 153