Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) Letters - 2021/22

Supporting the Delivery of the National Drugs Mission: 2021-22 Funding Allocations of additional £50 million Investment 

Population Health Directorate

Drug Policy Division & Health Improvement Division

E: Drugsmissiondeliveryteam@gov.scot

ADP Chair

Integration Authority Chief Officer

Copies to:

NHS Board Chief Executive

Local Authority Chief Executive

NHS Director of Finance

Integration Authority Chief Finance Officer

ADP Co-ordinators

18 August 2021

Dear ADP Chair and Integration Authority Chief Officer

Supporting the Delivery of the National Drugs Mission: 2021-22 Funding Allocations of additional £50 million Investment

Firstly, We would like to thank you for your patience in awaiting more information on the complete funding picture for ADPs relating to the National Mission. We understand that you would welcome greater clarity on the basis upon in which the additional £50 million is being allocated. We hope this letter and accompanying information provides this and sets out what is being expected of ADPs with regard to delivering the National Mission.

The aim of the National Mission is to improve and save lives of people who use drugs and their loved ones. It will do this by:

• providing fast and appropriate access to treatment and support through all services
• improving frontline drugs services (including the third sector)
• ensuring services are in place and working together to react immediately for people who need support and maintain that support for as long as is needed
• increasing capacity in and use of residential rehabilitation
• implementing a more joined-up approach across policy and practice to address underlying issues.

The scale of the challenge we are facing requires all of us to work at great pace in order to achieve the changes we need to see if we are to be successful in reducing drug related deaths and improving the lives of people who use drugs. This is supported by unprecedented additional investment in drugs services and in ADPs. To deliver on the expectations outlined in this letter it will be necessary to increase capacity within ADPs. The Scottish Government expects that some of the funding uplift will be used by Health Boards to increase capacity in ADPs and in any other area required to deliver on the demands of the National Mission.

A summary of the spending being made available to ADPs and by what means can be found at Annex A. This is set out in more detail as follows:

Planning and reporting arrangements

The Scottish Government is currently engaged with ADPs and COSLA regarding new planning and reporting arrangements. In the meantime, we require the completion of the annual report attached at Annex B for the financial year 2020-21 to be completed and returned by noon Thursday 14 October.

Reserves

Nationally, the level of earmarked reserves for ADPs is in excess of £16 million. The Scottish Government asks that ADPs plan as a matter of urgency how they intend to use these reserves to deliver national and local priorities. The expectation from the Scottish Government is that ADPs utilise their reserves in full and utilise the significant additional investment outlined in this letter in this financial year, and avoid as far as possible carrying any significant reserves into the next financial year.

To monitor spending and ensure that both reserves and additional investment are being utilised, we have attached a spending planning template and ask for this to be completed and returned by noon Wednesday 29 September. This can be found at

Annex C. This will provide assurance that significant reserves are not being built up in this financial year. We will monitor these on a quarterly basis.

If utilising available spending becomes challenging and ADPs anticipate holding significant reserves then we ask that they engage with the Scottish Government as early as possible to discuss this.

£18m National Drugs Mission Funds

The Minister for Drugs Policy had previously announced four funds worth a total of £18 million. These are:

• Service Improvement Fund - £5 million (£3m to support residential rehabilitation projects)
• Local Support Fund - £5 million
• Rehabilitation and Recovery Fund - £5 million
• Children and Families Fund - £3.5 million

A majority of applications to these funds will be routed through the Corra Foundation, a grant making organisation the Scottish Government has commissioned to deliver these funds on our behalf. Applications can now be made directly to the Corra Foundation. The Scottish Government and Corra encourage all organisations to work closely with the relevant ADPs to ensure projects meet local need and fit in with local strategy. For some funds a letter of support from the relevant ADP chair or coordinator is required. Further information can be found here www.corra.scot/grants/drugs-services-funds/.

As you are aware, increasing provision and improving quality of residential rehabilitation is a key priority of the National Mission. This is supported by £100 million of the total £250 million additional investment being allocated to residential rehabilitation. For that reason £3 million of the Service Improvement Fund is earmarked for residential rehabilitation projects. We encourage ADPs to work with local partners to utilise this.

The Rehabilitation and Recovery Fund is administered via the Scottish Government and is for large projects to increase residential rehabilitation capacity. Further information can be found here https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-drugs mission-funds-guidance/.

£13.5m Uplift

A letter to ADP Chairs and Integration Authority Chief Officers sent via email on 17 June 2021 announced a funding uplift for the financial years 2021-26 of £13.5 million per year. £5 million of this is to expand access to residential rehabilitation, £5 million to support the priorities of the National Mission and £3.5 million to implement the Whole Family Approach framework. Further guidance on how this funding should be used can be found in that letter.

The Scottish Government will be writing out to ADPs very shortly with further information regarding expectations and reporting requirements surrounding residential rehabilitation.

In the coming weeks the Scottish Government will be sharing the draft Whole Family Approach Framework with ADPs and other local delivery partners for views. When the Framework is published we will advise on expectations for the implementation, including the funding.

You may be aware that the Minister for Drugs Policy has made a commitment to Parliament to implement a target in relation to the number of people accessing treatment. This will be underpinned by a series of quality indicators. ADPs should consider this when choosing how to invest this uplift.

Medication-Assisted Treatment Standards - £4m

In her statement to Parliament in June this year, The Minister for Drugs Policy set out how the remaining £50m additional investment was to be allocated. £4m has been allocated to implement the MAT standards for the financial year 2021-22. The expectation is that these standards are fully embedded across Scotland by April 2022. This funding is being allocated in the following way:

Delivery of MAT Standards Implementation Support Team (MIST): £0.5m: Public Health Scotland

Delivery of projects to upscale local systems: £3.5m: ADPs via application to MIST team

MIST will work with ADPs to identify local need and projects for funding.

Buvidal

£4m is being allocated to expand access to Buvidal in the financial year 2021-22. This is being allocated in the following way:

Delivery of drug costs and evaluation: £4m: Health Boards via NRAC

A breakdown of the funding being allocated to Health Boards can be found at Annex D.

Heroin-Assisted Treatment

£0.4m is being allocated to expand Heroin-Assisted Treatment in the financial year 2021-22. This is being allocated in the following way:

Expansion of existing provision or to support planning for HAT services: £0.4m: ADPs via application to Scottish Government

If ADPs would like to access this funding, please contact Michael.crook@gov.scot.

Outreach

£3m is being allocated to expand effective and assertive outreach to all ADP areas in the financial year 2021-22. There is an expectation that there is effective, assertive outreach activity in all areas, which engages those at most risk, ensuring they have a meaningful pathway into treatment and support. This may include but is not limited to navigator and peer support models; out of hours and weekend support; and, multidisciplinary, holistic support teams. This is being allocated to ADPs via NRAC. A breakdown of the funding being allocated to ADPs can be found at Annex E.

Near-fatal Overdose Pathways

£3m is being allocated to expand and improve near-fatal overdose pathways in the financial year 2021-22. There is an expectation that near-fatal overdose pathways, will result in a rapid emergency response, which ensures individuals get access to the help they need at the point of need. It is also expected that pathways will incorporate wider harm prevention activity, incorporating appropriate wraparound support. This is being allocated to ADPs via NRAC. A breakdown of the funding being allocated to ADPs can be found at Annex E.

Lived and living experience

£1m is being allocated to expand and improve the reach of the voices of those with lived and living experience in the financial year 2021-22. This is being allocated in the following way:

Delivery of local LLE panels or forums managed by ADPs: £0.5m: ADPs via NRAC

Delivery of a National Collaborative: £0.5m: Scottish Drugs Forum

A breakdown of the funding being allocated to ADPs can be found at Annex E.

Stigma

£0.8m is being allocated to a media campaign on stigma in the financial year 202122, which will be delivered by the Scottish Government.

Thirdsector support

£1m is being allocated to support third sector organisations delivering national projects in the financial year 2021-22. This is delivered by the Scottish Government.

Surveillance and evaluation

£1.5m is being allocated for surveillance, research and evaluation costs in the financial year 2021-22. This is delivered by the Scottish Government.

Yours faithfully

Diane McLafferty MBE

Deputy Director, Drug Policy Division

Population Health Directorate

Karen MacNee

Deputy Director, Health Improvement Division

Population Health Directorate

Annex A – National Drugs Mission Funding Summary

Annex B – Financial Planning and Reporting

Annex B – 2021-22 Financial Planning and Reporting

Annex C - Alcohol and Drug Partnership Annual Review 2020-21

Annex C - Alcohol and Drug Partnership Annual Review 2020-21

Annex D – Buvidal Funding Allocations to Health Boards

Annex E – Funding to ADPs for Outreach, Near-Fatal Overdose Pathways and Lived and Living Experience Panels/Forums