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 The Faculty
Exec met on 8 February against the backdrop of rapid change in the
treatment system. A recent survey by SCAN found that 37% of
recently retendered contracts moved to a non-statutory provider,
and a further 14% to a mixed NHS/non-statutory
consortium. Pilots in Payment by Results in both drugs and
alcohol services are due to begin later this year. Much
remains uncertain. What a recovery-oriented treatment system
means in practice will depend on outcome measures still under
discussion. Local area treatment budgets will be determined by
Directors of Public Health once the NTA disappears next year.
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The Executive has been clear that a proactive
response to these challenges and uncertainties is essential:
- A joint working group with the Royal College of GPs is making a
substantial revision to the College Report on the Roles and
Responsibilities of specialist substance misuse doctors.
Intended primarily for commissioners and Public Health Directors,
this will set out clearly the role and value of specialist doctors
within the treatment system, and emphasise the importance of
adequate supervision, clinical governance and CPD for all
providers. It will be published in the Spring.
- The Exec responded in detail to the Drugs Strategy
Consultation, and will continue to make formal submissions to key
consultations, such as the NTA’s current document on its new
service framework (ie updating Models of Care).
- It has also secured representation on the most important
Department of Health working groups – eg Professor John Strang’s
group on recovery, and working groups on payment by results in both
drugs and alcohol.
- More informally, but equally importantly, the Exec Chair has
been working with other Colleges (RCN, BPS and RCGP) to influence
thinking and ensure that the full spectrum of views on “recovery”
is heard at the highest level. The “quartet” group had a
positive meeting recently with Anne Milton, Minister for Public
Health.
- The Exec is developing a communications strategy: a
number of Exec members have received media training, and work is in
progress to develop a series of agreed briefing notes on key issues
which will help promote the public visibility of the specialism and
ensure that the media receive a clear, consistent message.
Alcohol strategy
With the Coalition’s stated commitment to
public health, and to publishing a new National Alcohol Strategy
later this year, there may be particular opportunities to influence
the debate on alcohol. The Executive has set up a working
group to publish a new document on alcohol, following on from the
forthcoming NICE guidelines on treating alcohol dependence. It
is also building links with other organisations active in the
field.
Regional and trust level
While the Executive seeks to lead and influence at national
level, it is clear that the profession will need to respond to the
current challenges and opportunities at regional and trust level
too. The Executive ran a day event on Leadership in Addictions
Psychiatry on 2 February to help Faculty members clarify what they
can do and how. The presentations and initial products from
this event are on the Faculty webpages [hyperlink], and a follow-up
event will take place as part of the Faculty
Annual meeting on 12 - 13 May 2011 in London, which all
Faculty members are welcome to attend.
The Executive is also developing the role of
its network of Regional Representatives in each Division, and
looking at ways to ensure that patients’ and carers’ voices are
heard on current changes in services.
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