Action on drugs and alcohol: priorities for the next government

We have identified 5 key areas that we are asking politicians to put on the agenda with third sector charities who are working with people who use drugs and alcohol.

We call on the next Government to work with us to:

1. Back the vision behind the national 10-year drug strategy

The current drug strategy provides a vision for the transformation of services for people who want to change the way they use drugs. It recommends new partnerships between the NHS, the third sector and other public health services to create system stability, the strategy also recognises that drug and alcohol dependency is a health condition.

We want to see a new government back this vision and commit to building on the progress made over the past two years. We also want to see the success of the drug strategy measured through a broader variety of qualitative metrics that are inclusive and are vital in harm reduction activity. Moving away from a focus on narrow data points.

2. Commit to sustainable three-year funding cycles

Change is needed to ensure that additional funding can deliver genuine, sustainable benefits in local communities. We want to see the introduction of funding cycles of at least 3 years.

For every £1 spent on drug treatment, £4 is saved, which reduces demands on health, prison, law enforcement and emergency services. But current yearly funding cycles make long-term change to service delivery challenging. Stable funding will mean that improvements delivered through the Drug Strategy are long-lasting and that cost savings are realised.

3. Recognise the role of third sector service providers in delivering high quality drug and alcohol treatment as part of the wider public health system

Third sector providers of drug and alcohol services are part of the wider public health system but this is not always recognised. The third sector offers innovation, flexibility and often has strong roots in local communities.

The third sector plays a crucial role in delivering high quality treatment for people who use drugs and alcohol, which helps to ensure a healthier population, tackle health inequalities and reduce pressures on the NHS.

To maximise the value of the third sector, our treatment services need to be fully integrated public health system and contribute to decisions about service design and delivery. As a minimum, drug and alcohol treatment services should be represented and given equal voice at all Combating Drugs Partnerships across the country.

4. Work with us to beat stigma

People who use drugs and alcohol have to deal with prejudice, ignorance, and misconceptions, which makes it harder for them to access the services they need. If we can all see the person who is using drugs or alcohol, that makes the treatment and recovery journey less challenging.

We want to work with the incoming Government to run national awareness campaigns and local training to reduce stigma and help professionals and the public understand the needs of people who use drugs and alcohol.

5. Publish and implement a comprehensive substance misuse workforce strategy

Publish a workforce strategy in line with the drug strategy’s ambition to encourage more people to work in the sector, and to provide high-quality training and development for them.

A comprehensive strategy to rebuild the substance misuse workforce is critical to increasing the capacity and improving the quality of services, and to realising the benefits of the national drug strategy.