In a significant move to combat drug and alcohol misuse, the Department of Health and Social Care, under the guidance of Neil O’Brien MP, has announced the allocation of almost £267 million to local authorities across England. This funding, set to be rolled out in April 2024, aims to enhance drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services, contributing to the government’s 10-year drug strategy.
The funding will enable local authorities to recruit specialized staff to work with individuals facing drug and alcohol problems, support prison leavers in accessing treatment and recovery services, and help reduce crime by increasing the number of people receiving structured drug and alcohol treatment. This initiative is expected to improve the quality of treatment and subsequently make streets safer by reducing drug use addictions, which are known to drive offending.
Health Minister Neil O’Brien commented on the initiative, highlighting the link between drug addiction and crime: “Drug addiction drives about half of all crimes, so by investing in high-quality and greater availability of treatment, we can reduce crime rates and save lives. We aim to raise the number of people getting drug and alcohol treatment to a record high.”
The allocation of £267 million to local authorities is based on the recommendations made by Dame Carol Black in her independent review. The funding will also support residential rehabilitation or inpatient detoxification and improvements to recovery services to help reduce relapse rates.
This investment follows the £95.4 million made available in 2022-2023 and £154.3 million for this year, totaling an additional £421 million in drug and alcohol treatment since April 2022. The government’s strategy, “From Harm to Hope,” outlines a 10-year ambition to increase treatment places and recovery services significantly.
Professor Dame Carol Black, the independent adviser to the government on combating drug misuse, expressed that the funding is aimed at ensuring vulnerable individuals with substance misuse problems have access to necessary support and tools for recovery.
Local examples include initiatives in Lancashire for women affected by alcohol and drug use, investment in recovery support services in Halton, expansion of early support for young people in Devon, and the establishment of a non-fatal overdose team in Hartlepool.
Alice Wiseman, Policy Lead for Addiction at the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH), emphasized the value of this work for individuals and communities, highlighting the need for long-term commitment to the strategy.
The investment covers a wide range of substances, with a focus on reducing drug-related crime and improving access to quality treatment, particularly for opiate and crack cocaine dependence. The government plans to support this through targeted work across the criminal justice system, including new police-led referrals into treatment plans.
