Additional funds to combat drug and alcohol misuse in 2023
The UK not only recognises its escalating drug and alcohol misuse trends, but has also developed a long-term strategy and opened its pockets to tackle the problem. This initiative involves all levels of government and relevant third parties, such as non-profits.
In December 2021, authorities dedicated approximately £900m over the spending review period, which totals an investment of roughly £3bn over three years. To support this, the Department of Health and Social Care is providing £85.7m in additional grants. Another £15.5m comes from Project ADDER, which focuses on targeted and robust policing combined with enhanced treatment and recovery programmes.
Local authorities at the heart of treatment and recovery programmes
Local councils have a responsibility to boost public health through alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services. The stated 10-year strategy prioritises fund allocations to the 50 areas with the highest need.
Enhanced and additional funding
Enhanced funding to local authorities depends on a phased approach. Criteria include:
- Drug death rates.
- Deprived areas as soft targets for these social problems.
- Prevalence of opiate and crack cocaine in a community.
- Drug and alcohol-related crime levels.
Testing is the most accurate way of detecting the prevalence of any drug. For example, constructive workplace testing tracks opiate and crack cocaine prevalences among non-convicted and previously convicted users.
Additional funding to areas not eligible for enhanced funding continues in line with the capital made available in 2021 and 2022. Again, a solid testing regime showcases the generality of drug types in use and can be used to motivate enhanced funding.
At this point, the government allocated enhanced funding as part of Project ADDER and the need for in-patient detoxification. The qualifying local councils in England at this stage include:
- Blackpool
- Brighton and Hove
- Camden
- County Durham
- Darlington
- Lancashire
- Leeds
- Liverpool
- Manchester
How workplace drug testing helps with successful drug and alcohol initiatives
Apart from enhancing workplace safety – especially in environments where people work with hazardous chemicals or heavy machinery – frequent drug and alcohol testing helps employers and authorities keep their finger on the pulse of trends. By doing so, it is easy to determine when:
- Someone in a drug and alcohol treatment programme is slipping and needs additional support.
- Employees start using illegal substances or alcohol to intervene during the early stages before the problem escalates.
Combining national, regional and local initiatives with consistent workplace testing, for example, widens the net and effectively informs where funding is needed most. Matrix Diagnostics, drug and alcohol testing specialist, runs comprehensive workplace testing programmes, which include:
- Advice on policy development and amendments to keep pace with the latest legal requirements.
- A collection network that executes planned on-site programmes of work and responds to emergencies around the clock.
- Training and full support regarding on-site screening kits.
- Substance or contraband identification found in the workplace within 48 hours.
Drug and alcohol testing is key to the impact of any treatment and service programme. It is a continuous tool that aids the research to make informed decisions.