tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.comments2024-01-03T08:33:41.214+00:00DrugScope CommentJackie Bucklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256707536603867875noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-27627690800273390472015-04-02T10:42:02.117+01:002015-04-02T10:42:02.117+01:00Bereft at news of DrugScope closure coming so soon...Bereft at news of DrugScope closure coming so soon after the death of their founder Jasper Woodcock - I knew them all from the old days of ISDD and SCODA and they have always been distinguished for their integrity and resilience. Susanne MacGregorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-47658337725983789882015-02-24T07:47:09.847+00:002015-02-24T07:47:09.847+00:00I'm happy to accept that I am at best a barrac...I'm happy to accept that I am at best a barrack room lawyer, and as such I'll leave whether the NHS constitution can be used as legal protection against the sort of proposal being made to proper lawyers. But I'm clearly not the only person that holds out some hope that there would be legal redress against coerced treatment, as Dr Wollaston's tweet suggests.<br /><br />As for regulation my understanding is that <a href="http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20140919_cqc_a_fresh_start_substance_misuse_final_low_res.pdf" rel="nofollow">CQC are the regulator for the sector</a>.Andrew Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10763753671606930383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-73758650220428216512015-02-23T15:25:18.920+00:002015-02-23T15:25:18.920+00:00Nope, I still think you are onto a loser there. I ...Nope, I still think you are onto a loser there. I don't see a challenge under the NHS constitution being successful. <br /><br />You say: "The Handbook to the constitution suggests they might be. It says:<br /><br />"You have the right to make a claim for judicial review if you think you have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body or local authority.”<br /><br />A decision lying ostensibly outside the NHS constitution (which although made up of some different pieces of legislation, gives certain key rights to patients itself) would not be unlawful for a local authority as the services provided and commissioned by a local authority are not NHS services and are not bound by the constitution - or any of the other pieces of legislation which describe people's rights to healthcare treatment within the NHS. (As an aside MONITOR the competition regulator also has no jurisdiction over drug and alcohol commissioning - leaving those areas critical to effective treatment essentially unregulated). You would *potentially* have a chance if the provider you were being coerced into accepting treatment from was itself an NHS body. But even then I think it would be very difficult - and of course a lot of NHS bodies don't provide drug and alcohol services now - and many that do, do so through a subsidiary structure.<br /><br />Besides any of this, people are coerced into treatment all over the place now and it doesn't seem to recieve much of a challenge at all nowadays. Drug treatment is no longer about people accessing healthcare, it is about society doing thing to people to make them more palatable or containable - and all at the lowest possible price. Viewed in this light, the proposed DWP sanctions regime is simply an external body accessing the very same devices of compulsion and manipulation that the drug sector itself has used for many years.<br />Sara McGrailnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-72797917577428043652015-02-23T10:46:42.229+00:002015-02-23T10:46:42.229+00:00Still disappointing to see that the practitioners&...Still disappointing to see that the practitioners' and researchers views and findings, and those of young people, are being stone-walled by politicians....Blaine Stothardhttp://www.healthed.org.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-42463091152719827432015-02-19T16:41:15.087+00:002015-02-19T16:41:15.087+00:00Hi Sara, thanks for those comments, they've ma...Hi Sara, thanks for those comments, they've made me go back to first principles.<br /><br />It seems to me that the body that would need to be bound by the rights set out in the NHS constitution is the DWP who will otherwise sanction drug and alcohol users on sickness benefits who are unwilling to be in treatment. <br /><br />In those circumstances the NHS constitution itself might not be the piece of paper you'd wave about in court, but the constitution is only a collection of existing laws. So the question will be whether the DWP is bound by the Act of Parliament that enshrines the right not to be coerced into treatment, or whether the way that the putative new sanctions regime is framed in a way that takes that right into account.<br /><br />However, if the regime we're discussing does come in (and isn't challenged by an individual being coerced into treatment) there may still be a role for the NHS constitution that occurs to me. <br /><br />A service (or employee in a service) might argue that providing treatment to a coerced patient is not within the spirit or letter of the NHS constitution.<br /><br />If that unhappy circumstance were to occur then we'd be back to your question of whether commissioners and service providers are bound by the constitution.<br /><br />The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/170649/Handbook_to_the_NHS_Constitution.pdf" rel="nofollow">Handbook to the constitution</a> suggests they might be. It says:<br /><br />"You have the right to make a claim for judicial review if you think you have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body or local authority.”<br /><br />But, all that said, I don't doubt that should a government want to go down this route then it would take supreme efforts to stop them and the use of legal challenge may be an uncertain act of last resort.Andrew Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10763753671606930383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-79115206672791797202015-02-19T14:00:28.454+00:002015-02-19T14:00:28.454+00:00Can I suggest you read in a little more detail abo...Can I suggest you read in a little more detail about not just the difference between "having regard to the nhs constitution" and being *bound* by it? You might also like to look at the different mechanisms available for organisations and individuals to utilise the NHS constitution to challenge decisions made by local authorities: there are none. There is no right to challenge or legal remedy. Sara McGrailhttp://www.none.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-14752696358008905472015-02-19T13:53:49.704+00:002015-02-19T13:53:49.704+00:00In commissioning and providing services local auth...In commissioning and providing services local authorities only have to have regard to the constitution. They are not bound by it - either in their commissioning or in their delegated provision. Its not mandatory and given the current state of the sector you find that in practice its meaningless.Sara McGrailhttp://www.none.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-83187050348290457192015-02-18T15:36:27.069+00:002015-02-18T15:36:27.069+00:00Hi Blaine, yes I think the timing of this report i...Hi Blaine, yes I think the timing of this report is very similar to where we were in 2010, in that it pretty much means that whatever the response by the various political parties we are unlikely to see action ahead of the election. <br /><br />However, <a href="https://pshe-association.org.uk/blogs_entry.aspx?id=53" rel="nofollow">Joe Hayman</a> makes some great points in his blog and I'd endorse his analysis. He says:<br /><br />"The expectation to respond will remain, however, so if the recommendations are not addressed by the current Government then the new Government will have to respond in May or June. <br /><br />It is therefore guaranteed that either current Ministers or those in post after the 7th of May will have to respond to the recommendations, but they will not obliged to follow them. It is therefore incumbent on all of us who care passionately about this cause to make our voices heard in the months ahead."Andrew Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10763753671606930383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-50257723359030522662015-02-18T10:39:15.288+00:002015-02-18T10:39:15.288+00:00It's encouraging to read this report and the a...It's encouraging to read this report and the arguments and evidence it contains. It represents yet another voice which recognises the centrality of personal development in young people's lives and the supporting role which schools can play in this development.<br />We have, however, been here before, most thoroughly in the Macdonald review of PSHE in 2009. The present government seemd to look past and through the existence and findings of that piece of work, and during the pre-election 'wash-up' argued against the proposals which were then included in Labour's last education bill to make PSHE a statutory part of the curriculum.<br />The prospects, therefore, don't seem too positive - but in a pre-election period it's good to see the question raised again in such a high-profile way.<br />Wtach this space, as they say...Blaine Stothardhttp://www.healthed.org.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-32660933515913994822015-02-17T14:52:26.088+00:002015-02-17T14:52:26.088+00:00Thanks for your comment.
I've taken another...Thanks for your comment. <br /><br />I've taken another look at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/170656/NHS_Constitution.pdf" rel="nofollow">the NHS constitution</a> and it is pretty clear that it applies to local authority public health services, so I'm not sure why it wouldn't apply to drug and alcohol services. <br /><br />Indeed there's nothing in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/170649/Handbook_to_the_NHS_Constitution.pdf" rel="nofollow">Handbook to the NHS Constitution</a> or the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/180856/NHS_Constitution-PublicHealthSupp.pdf" rel="nofollow">Public health supplement to the NHS Constitution</a> which suggests it wouldn't apply to these services that I can see.Andrew Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10763753671606930383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-69741066036627692572015-02-17T11:37:06.584+00:002015-02-17T11:37:06.584+00:00You state: We have also argued that they would be ...You state: We have also argued that they would be against the requirement of informed consent, as set out in the NHS constitution which makes clear:<br />You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent.<br /><br />This is incorrect. Drug and Alcohol services (along with sexual health services) are not classed as health services and protection is not offered under the NHS constitutionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-75387458097472850742015-01-09T15:23:42.635+00:002015-01-09T15:23:42.635+00:00Almost half of referrals come from two sources - Y...Almost half of referrals come from two sources - Youth Offending Teams and mainstream schools.<br /><br /><a href="http://matric-results.blogspot.com/2014/12/ssc-date-sheet-of-all-bise-boards.html" rel="nofollow">SSC Date Sheet 2015</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14442219907423151071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-91866777179016846422014-12-16T17:50:07.284+00:002014-12-16T17:50:07.284+00:00Perhaps Dr Bowden Jones was speaking primarily as ...Perhaps Dr Bowden Jones was speaking primarily as a clinician, although you could argue that his opening statement of 'invest where the evidence is most robust' suggests that at present we have no strong evidence to support the 'non-prohibitionist' approach. Portugal is too early to use as comparison.<br />Sadly the government does not seem to like empirical evidence, preferring to listen to Russell Brand instead and removing people such as Professor David Nutt from the ACMD who speak ‘science’ at them.<br />King Mobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16156022760029583016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-43875196354067421752014-12-16T07:48:49.786+00:002014-12-16T07:48:49.786+00:00Please, drop this "drug and alcohol" dis...Please, drop this "drug and alcohol" distinction, it's totally false. Also sorry to see no mention of consumer protection, proper control of the supply side for drugs and really anythnig that challenges the failed prohibitionist mindset.Derek Williamshttp://www.clear-uk.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-61752865906164911422014-06-05T15:36:45.422+01:002014-06-05T15:36:45.422+01:00This is welcome, but it also suggests that the Gov...This is welcome, but it also suggests that the Government shares the concerns. It also raises the question of what government would do if there was disinvestment given its commitment to localism.vimax canadahttp://goo.gl/nHIIs9noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-40241884955315941782014-04-03T18:06:41.591+01:002014-04-03T18:06:41.591+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05509077370888743660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-4335387507047844112013-11-27T15:42:34.166+00:002013-11-27T15:42:34.166+00:00Correct. And the first harm reduction leaflet on e...Correct. And the first harm reduction leaflet on ecstasy was produced and distributed by the Drugs & HIV Monitoring Unit (Mersey RHA) in 1988. See also the report 'Raving and Dance Drugs' (1990) by 3D Research.The Total Impostorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00683193981145988402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-73521892949205181402013-11-27T09:43:02.366+00:002013-11-27T09:43:02.366+00:00Safer Dancing was a campaign by Lifeline, not HIT....Safer Dancing was a campaign by Lifeline, not HIT. Lifeline produced safer dancing/Peanut Pete leaflets from 1990. The HIT 'Chill Out' leaflet was produced several years later.<br /><br /> Michael Linnell - Lifeline Michael Linnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16596541690051795630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-80566808055199354172013-11-27T08:34:10.509+00:002013-11-27T08:34:10.509+00:00Nice summary Paul. I'm looking forwards to fin...Nice summary Paul. I'm looking forwards to final State of the Sector report. I'm finding it particularly interesting trying to work out what's going to happen with PCCs. Conservatives want to put them at the centre of local criminal justice system and give them emergency services too, Labour want to decommission them. All of which makes the DIP budget a tricky one to track & protect.Russell Websterhttp://www.russellwebster.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-16014381504064183282013-11-20T08:51:08.668+00:002013-11-20T08:51:08.668+00:00thank you for sharing. This was a very useful info...thank you for sharing. This was a very useful information for me du hochttp://duhoc360.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-35945477876380961182013-03-06T09:18:10.615+00:002013-03-06T09:18:10.615+00:00The recent changes to housing benefit and council ...The recent changes to housing benefit and council tax benefit for those on JSA etc will only serve to increase the number of households with children in poverty. This isn't helped by recent remarks that welfare should be cut further in order to increase military spending.Peter Simonsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-29997341075799649402012-12-25T18:38:43.243+00:002012-12-25T18:38:43.243+00:00Thanks for the info. Dealing with addiction can b...Thanks for the info. Dealing with addiction can be hard and you should have an <a href="http://www.intervention911.com/about-us/chicago" rel="nofollow">alcohol intervention</a> for people you love when they need the extra help.Tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314269646670335285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-46832051115547630082011-08-13T18:27:25.510+01:002011-08-13T18:27:25.510+01:00Marcus, thank you, a long overdue and welcome focu...Marcus, thank you, a long overdue and welcome focus on Young Peoples Services <br />DrugScope can be forgiven for taking its eye off the ball of policy in this area if only because you are in good company.<br /> The NTA backing off young people's services predates the current financial climate. The post of National Lead for young people was always marginalised within the organisation and now it’s been deleted young people's issues have been relegated to a responsibility of the Families Lead. I seriously doubt they have ever fully understood this complex area properly but let's hope that Lynn Branby's news of additional posts focussing on young people is the start of an upward curve that reverses this trend. In defence of the NTA though the root of the problem and the limiting narrative on young people goes back to before their origins. In 2000/2001 the Second National Plan came out of the Cabinet Office to support “Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain", the focus was on adult treatment and adult ways of doing things. It has the odd mention of young people's treatment but no detail before reverting to the theme of young people's services as Education and Prevention. We're early on here and laying foundations and the focus is on preventing young people becoming problematic adults, nothing about what to do with those that are already using problematically. Howard Parker and others work in the ‘90’s pointed the way to a much broader picture of the normalisation of recreational drug use with young heroin/ poly users falling through the safety net of services, the worry is they still are, even if their drug(s) of choice has changed with the times. <br />The NTA came along shortly afterwards and inherited this “narrative” and little has changed since, their view of young people's treatment as a brief substance intervention with the mythical "mainstream services" doing everything else is limited and inaccurate. <br />Young people's treatment moving into Public Health England could be seen as a backward step. High Focus Areas were a 2005 government initiative that was meant to speed up the mainstreaming of young people's strategy and commissioning into Children's Services/Partnerships, there are compelling arguments why Children's Services are a better home for young person's treatment than Public Health.<br />A final point about the marginalisation of young people's services. When the old Home Office Drugs website was archived in April 2010 the young people's pages still carried the strap line from the updated Drug Strategy 2002 and were at least a full two years out of date, hardly an encouraging sign!!<br />We desperately need fresh blood, a fresh debate and a fresh start with a few more/new people around the table. This year being the 10th Anniversary of the HAS Review would seem a good time and place to make a start – it’s just that no one’s noticed!Dave Seabernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-11536759521433903702011-08-11T14:38:30.855+01:002011-08-11T14:38:30.855+01:00I understand and share your concerns about the imp...I understand and share your concerns about the impact of budgetary pressures on young people's services generally, and the implications of this for drug and alcohol services, but I think it's a bit misleading - if not unfair - to talk about the NTA having "backed away" from young people's treatment. As you know, we have avoided any reduction in the £25m young people's Pooled Treatment Budget, and despite significant reductions in our own budget, we have agreed two additional posts to support work with young people in partnership with DfE.Lynn Bransby, NTA Head of Deliverynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803410488510287958.post-46470017669182010782011-08-10T09:27:25.424+01:002011-08-10T09:27:25.424+01:00Do keep up the pressure Marcus! I do believe the f...Do keep up the pressure Marcus! I do believe the fluid nature of YP contact with services means the public health route should be a valid route for exploration. As Crossroads points out, YP engagement with services does not fit with an adult model - so at a time when adult services are changing it seems prudent to assess the shape and function of future YP services - based on need. With a bit of luck it may also highlight the need for transitional services, and plug the gap so many YP fall through when they reach 18.Iannoreply@blogger.com