Residential rehabilitation recommendations: SG response
The Scottish Government response to recommendations from the Future of Residential Rehabilitation Working Group (FRRWG) and Public Health Scotland (PHS) on residential rehabilitation sets out actions to improve access, quality, clinical governance and recovery support. It outlines commitments to strengthen pathways, workforce capability, evidence, monitoring and long-term recovery outcomes.
6. Conclusion
Residential rehabilitation remains a key component of Scotland's treatment and recovery system.
These reports come at a time of sustained commitment from the Scottish Government to tackling alcohol and drug harms. We are maintaining record levels of funding for alcohol and drug policy of more than £160 million, demonstrating our continued commitment to people, families and communities affected by drug and alcohol use. This includes over £116 million for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships, and ongoing support for grassroots organisations and residential rehabilitation services through the £36.9 million Alcohol and Drugs Fund administered by the Corra Foundation.
Sustained investment, stable funding and a commitment to allocating resources according to need remain at the heart of our approach for 2026-27 and beyond. Our vision is that residential rehabilitation is available to everybody who wants it, and for whom it is clinically appropriate, at the point they need it and in every part of Scotland.
Increasing access to residential rehabilitation was a core pillar of our National Mission and remains a key priority within our new Strategic Plan on Alcohol and Drugs. We will maintain our commitment to ensuring that at least 1,000 people access publicly funded residential rehabilitation placements each year and will seek to exceed this ambitious target wherever possible.
The Scottish Government welcomes both the recommendations of the Clinical Governance Subgroup and the findings of the recent PHS evaluation of residential rehabilitation services and the recommendations of the Clinical Governance Subgroup.
The FRRWG will continue to play an important role within the wider governance arrangements for the Strategic Plan on Alcohol and Drugs 2026-2035. As implementation of the recommendations from both the Clinical Governance Subgroup report and the Public Health Scotland evaluation progresses, the FRRWG will provide expert advice, challenge and oversight on issues relating to residential rehabilitation, including clinical governance, service quality, workforce development and continuous improvement. Through the membership of Dr McCartney, Chair of the FRRWG, on the Advisory Forum, the group will ensure that evidence, learning and emerging issues from the residential rehabilitation sector are reflected in Strategic Plan discussions and decision-making. This will strengthen links between the FRRWG, the Advisory Forum and the Executive Group, helping to ensure that actions to improve residential rehabilitation services are aligned with broader alcohol and drug policy priorities and supported by robust governance and accountability arrangements.
We recognise that successful implementation of these recommendations will require ongoing collaboration between government, regulators, commissioners, providers, clinicians and people with lived and living experience. We look forward to continuing this partnership through the Future of Residential Rehabilitation Working Group and wider stakeholders as we take forward this important programme of improvement and deliver better outcomes for individuals, families and communities affected by alcohol and drug use