New Drug and Alcohol Services in the County

The county's Drug and Alcohol Partnership (DAAT) is launching a new approach to commissioning drug services aimed at improving services for people with drug and alcohol problems.

Exciting new plans for commissioning of services will mean a radical reshaping of how people can get the care they need. During 2008 the services will be completely redesigned, with a simpler and quicker route to help that is needed. Instead of several separate agencies referring between each other, there will be one single service, drawing on the best in social and healthcare, serving the county.

The Northamptonshire Drug and Alcohol Team is hosted by Northamptonshire County Council but supported by a range of partners including Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire Primary Care Trust and Northamptonshire Probation Service.

DAAT Manager Robin Burgess said: “This will improve levels of service for our patients across the area.

“It will be a more responsive service which will manage people from presentation to discharge.

“Hopefully it will create better outcomes in that there will be more people becoming drug free.

Anybody who is a current user of services needs to be reassured that their level of care will not be affected by the handover and they will be treated as well, if not with better care after the change”

The change-over will commence later in the year. During the handover period there will be no break or gap in care for individual clients. Individual therapists should advise their clients that they do not need to worry about the future of their care.