Accessibility controls
NTA 2010-11 business plan published - aimed at getting more users off drugs
10.08.10
The NTA has set out plans to get more users off drugs, giving a strong message to treatment providers that the long-term ambition for addicts seeking help is successful rehabilitation. The 2010-11 NTA business plan which is published today (06 August) includes proposals for moving people as quickly and safely as possible through treatment to recovery and reintegration in their local community.
Leading addiction experts to take proposals forward
The NTA has also announced that Professor John Strang of the National Addiction Centre, and Dr David Best of the University of the West of Scotland, will be involved in developing the proposals. Prof Strang will Chair an expert group to develop new clinical protocols for substitute prescribing in the community. Dr Best's work is aimed at supporting the expert group by producing evidence-based guidance on pathways to recovery and characteristics of recovery journeys, to enable closer matching of treatment and other services to users' need.
Getting on with business - towards abstinence and long-term recovery
With the future of drug treatment prioritised within the new Public Health Service, the NTA will continue to work with partners across all sectors and within local authorities, with a focus on sustaining recovery, demonstrable outcomes and providing better services for less money. We will be consulting widely with clinicians, partners and providers, but the goal is to see a fundamental shift in the balance of treatment for opiate addiction, away from long-term maintenance towards abstinence and long-term recovery.
Business Plan themes:
Themes of the business plan are: Improving outcomes for those in treatment; providing better value for money from central investment; championing abstinence-focussed treatment; re-balancing the system to ensure a consistent approach to commissioning community and residential rehabilitation; a new recovery-oriented blueprint for the treatment system to replace the current framework, Models of Care for Treatment of Adult Drug Misusers, last updated in 2006; consultation with clinicians, practitioners and providers to ensure any changes are underpinned by the latest evidence and best practice.
Download the NTA 2010-11 business plan.
This will complement our ongoing work programmes in the region and for more details on these initiatives people should get in touch with the regional office.