Drug treatment to figure in ratings

Drug treatment to figure in ratings Targets for keeping drug users
in treatment will form part of the star ratings for primary care
and mental health trusts.

The National Treatment Agency’s three-year treatment effectiveness
strategy, to be launched on 30 June, will require trusts to retain
drug users accessing treatment for at least 12 weeks, in most
cases.

Annette Dale-Perera, the agency’s director of quality, said it was
unacceptable that more than half of users dropped out of treatment
programmes in their early stages.

Dale-Perera told the all-party parliamentary group on drug misuse:
“The star ratings will get the health system to sit up and take
notice of this unpopular client group.”

For a strategy briefing go to: http://www.nta.nhs.uk