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Targets to be set for drug treatment waiting times
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14 November 2008
SCOTTISH Drugs Forum has welcomed the announcement that waiting time targets are to be introduced for drug treatment in Scotland for the first time, in 2010.
Waiting time targets on access to child and adolescent mental health services are also to be introduced for the first time in Scotland under the latest
NHS Scotland performance management (HEAT) targets published today.
David Liddell, Director of Scottish Drugs Forum, said: "This is excellent news.
“Scottish Drugs Forum has, for many years, raised concerns about excessive waiting times in many parts of Scotland, which means that people cannot get the help they need when they need it.
“Setting a target will ensure that we move to greater consistency of service access across Scotland.
“However, treatment agencies also need to be assisted in improving the quality of their services so that people are given the best help to enable to recover from drug dependency.”
pledge
The pledge for faster access to treatment for people with drug problems and to child and adolescent mental health services includes a commitment to develop the targets over the next year with health boards and other delivery partners.
Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing said: "The Government is determined to bring down the longest waits drugs users have to access treatment. We know that treatment works - between a quarter and a third of drug users entering treatment reach long-term sustained abstinence.
"In my many meetings across the country since I published the
national drugs strategy and it was endorsed by Parliament, I've heard from service providers and users about the excellent work being done across the country.
"For many drug users access to treatment is an essential part of their road to recovery. Where drug users are motivated and wish to seek recovery, we must be on hand to help them do that as quickly as possible."
HEAT targets are a core set of Ministerial objectives, targets and measures for the NHS.
The targets are set each year. Progress is measured throughout the year and boards are held to account during their annual review with the Cabinet Secretary.
They are designed to stretch NHS Boards in improving performance, according to the Scottish Government.