Statistical Publication Notice

24 June 2008

Drug Treatment Information Framework Report January to March 2008 

INTRODUCTION

This publication presents data from the Drug Treatment Waiting Times Information Framework (http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/wtpilot/framework.htm). It includes details on the number of clients waiting and the time waited for (1) clients to be offered an assessment date and (2) clients to be offered an appointment date for any intervention.

KEY POINTS

Time from referral to assessment date offered

• In Jan-Mar, 67% (3,960 clients) of those offered an appointment for assessment were offered a date within 14 days of referral (Table 1).
• Of those who were still waiting for an appointment for assessment, 30% (755 clients) had waited more than 52 weeks by the end of March 2008 (Table 1).

Time waited for any intervention

• In Jan-Mar 2008, 88% (2,838 clients) of those offered an appointment for treatment were offered a date within 14 days of the date a care plan was agreed. (Table 2).
• Of those who were still waiting for a treatment appointment at the end of the reporting period, 30% (390 clients) had waited more than 52 weeks. (Table 2).

INTERPRETATION

Due to the reorganisation of Argyll & Clyde ADAT, ISD now receives data for (1) Argyll & Bute  (2) Greater Glasgow & Clyde (excluding Glasgow City) and (3) Glasgow City. This publication presents data for each of these areas for January-March 2008. Data for Argyll & Clyde and Greater Glasgow ADATs are no longer received by ISD.

It is important to be aware that there are some data quality issues that may impact on analysis - caution is therefore recommended when interpreting tables.

The numbers of services submitting data varies significantly from area to area and within areas across the data collection period (see Table 5).

It should also be noted that there is a wide range of demand for substance misuse services across Scotland, and to meet this demand, an equally variable set of practices across the country. In some ADAT areas, the impact of a single specialized service - for example, a crisis management centre - may dramatically alter the distribution of waiting times. Consequently, to compare data across ADATs is potentially inappropriate.

Finally, the tables include small numbers for some ADATs; caution is therefore recommended when interpreting differences in percentages.

ISD only receive aggregate data from each of the ADAT's and it is therefore not possible for us to validate the data. Detailed questions regarding local data should be addressed to the relevant ADAT.

DETAILED FINDINGS

Time from referral to assessment date offered

• Of those clients who were still waiting for an assessment appointment at the end of the reporting period, the largest proportion of clients who had to wait over 26 weeks were in Perth & Kinross (109 clients, 88%) and Aberdeen City (500 clients, 81%) (Tables 1 & 3, and Chart 1b).

Time waited for any intervention

• Over half the clients in Midlothian* (53 clients, 83%), Aberdeen City (29 clients, 81%), Edinburgh City* (69 clients, 81%), Fife (52 clients, 71%), Aberdeenshire* (10 clients, 67%), East Lothian* (111 clients, 67%), Borders (28 clients, 62%), Forth Valley* (149 clients, 61%), Argyll & Bute* (3 clients, 60%), Perth & Kinross (6 clients, 60%) and Lanarkshire* (58 clients, 54%) waited more than 26 weeks for a treatment appointment and were still waiting by the end of the reporting period. (Table 2 & 4, and Chart 2b).

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MAIN CONTACTS:

Adrian Hyndman
Database Manager
0141 282 2275
Adrian.Hyndman@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

Robyn Munro
Information Analyst
0131 275 6967
Robyn.Munro@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

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GLOSSARY:

The interventions include:
(1) structured preparatory & motivation intervention  - planned intervention that stabilises the client or prepares them for further interventions.  It must be structured and have agreed goal(s).

(2) prescribed drug treatment -  the prescribing of a substitute drug, (e.g. methadone, lofexidine, subutex) for facilitating the complete cessation of the use of illicit drugs, controlling withdrawal symptoms or reducing illicit drug use.

(3)community support/rehabilitation -  Interventions that have the purpose of tackling the social and psychological problems faced by the client (such as debt / benefit / relationship and family problems, relapse prevention or employability and training issues) e.g. structured day programmes, counselling, group work.

(4) residential detoxification/rehabilitation - detoxification and/or rehabilitation that involves the client being admitted to a residential facility or hospital.

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PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:

This is not a national statistics publication. However a preview is sent to:
ASD: David Signorini, Donna MacKinnon, Sandra Campbell, Nadiya Choudhry & Nicola Edge
Policy: Carole Ross, Dawn Abell & Karen McGuigan

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HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:

Last Published: 25 March 2008
Next Due: 30 September 2008
Data Avaliable Since: First published data for April - September 2004