A joint inspectorate report said that nearly half of drug action teams in England were failing to give drug-users a comprehensive assessment of their needs.
Source: Improving Services for Substance Misuse, Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (020 7448 9200) and National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse
Links: Report | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Dec
A study examined the perspectives of a range of industry and non-industry stakeholders on the policy of treating the drinks industry as a key partner in preventing alcohol problems and reducing levels of harm. Many of those outside the industry were sceptical about its social responsibility initiatives, and argued that it could do more to change marketing practices, improve product development, and shape the drinking environment.
Source: Rob Baggott, Alcohol Strategy and the Drinks Industry: A partnership for prevention?, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings
Date: 2006-Dec
A new book examined the effects of drug use on family dynamics and relationships, including possible social and emotional costs. Existing service provision, in treating the problem drug-user in isolation, failed to address the needs of drug-affected families, and missed the opportunity to develop family-oriented support and treatment.
Source: Marina Barnard, Drug Addiction and Families, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (020 7833 2307)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Oct
The healthcare inspectorate said that drug treatment services were getting better: but more needed to be done to reduce variations in care across the country.
Source: Press release 7 September 2006, Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (020 7448 9200) and National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse
Links: CHAI press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Sep
The target set by government to increase the participation of problem drug-users in structured treatment programmes (in England) by 100 per cent by 2008 was achieved, two years early.
Source: Statistical press release 29 September 2006, National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (020 7972 2214)
Links: Statistical press release | NTA press release | DH press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Sep
A study examined the nature, scope, and impact of service provision in Scotland for people with co-existing mental health and substance misuse problems.
Source: Claire-Louise Hodges et al., Co-morbid Mental Health and Substance Misuse in Scotland, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2006-Jul
A think-tank report called for a radical overhaul of drugs policy, including a new approach to drugs classification, and compulsory drugs treatment for addicts involved in crime.
Source: John Mann MP, The Real Deal: Drugs policy that works, Fabian Society (020 7227 4900)
Links: Fabian Society press release
Date: 2006-Jul
A report said that drug consumption rooms offered a "unique and promising way" to help lessen fatal overdoses, as well as to take drug use off the streets and reduce numbers of discarded needles in public places. (Drug consumption rooms are places where dependent drug users are allowed to inject drugs in supervised, hygienic conditions.)
Source: The Report of the Independent Working Group on Drug Consumption Rooms, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | Background papers | JRF press release | Drugscope press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-May
A new book examined the links between drugs and social policy. It assessed policies and political responses, and the ways in which drugs policy was formulated and implemented in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Source: Paul Higate, Rhidian Hughes and Rachel Lart (eds.), Drugs: Policy and Politics, Open University Press (01280 823388)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Apr
A report said that criminal convictions by drug abusers decreased after admission to drug treatment, with further progressive reductions in criminal convictions across the five-year follow-up period.
Source: Michael Gossop, Katia Trakada, Duncan Stewart and John Witton, Levels of Conviction Following Drug Treatment: Linking data from the National Treatment Outcome Research Study and the Offenders Index, Research Findings 275, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Findings
Date: 2006-Mar
An annual report provided a comprehensive review of statistics on the prevalence of drug use, of developments in prevention and treatment, and of the evidence on wider social effects.
Source: Gail Eaton, Michela Morleo, Alan Lodwick, Mark Bellis and Jim McVeigh, United Kingdom Drug Situation: Annual report to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) 2005, Reitox National Focal Point (Department of Health and Centre for Public Health/Liverpool John Moores University) (0151 231 4510)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jan