Publication - Advice and guidance
Alcohol and drugs: partnership delivery framework - 2026
A framework to clarify the roles, responsibilities, lines of accountability, and best practices to ensure optimal partnership working on the formulation, planning, delivery, and reporting and evaluation of services for people affected by the use of alcohol and drugs.
Annex B: Partners: Lines of Accountability
Purpose and use of this Annex
This Annex provides a concise, high‑level summary of the main accountability, scrutiny and transparency arrangements for partners referenced in Section 3 of this Framework. It is intended to support shared understanding and public transparency, rather than to provide a comprehensive account of all governance or reporting duties.
Where terms such as “usually”, “sometimes” or “indirect” are used, this reflects legitimate variation in organisational form, statutory remit, or local governance arrangements, rather than inconsistency or deficiency. In particular, some partners operate independently of ministerial direction (e.g. judicial and prosecutorial functions); some arrangements are collective or partnership‑based rather than vested in a single body; and some planning or reporting arrangements are multi‑year, thematic or embedded within wider corporate publications rather than standalone alcohol and drugs documents.
Entries should therefore be read alongside Section 3, which provides fuller narrative context on roles, responsibilities, and relationships across the system.
| Organisation / partner (body or group) | Accountability and scrutiny (incl. route to democratic accountability where applicable) | Publishes a plan (annual or multi ‑ year) setting priorities and delivery commitments? | Publishes an annual report / annual report & accounts (or equivalent public reporting)? | Mentions alcohol and/or drugs in published plans or reporting? (Y/N + where) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Government (and Departments – incl. Home Office; DWP) | UK Ministers accountable to UK Parliament; Permanent Secretaries as Accounting Officers accountable to Parliament for propriety, regularity and value for money; scrutiny via Parliamentary committees and NAO. | Yes – departmental Outcome Delivery Plans or equivalent. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – Home Office drugs policy; DWP determinants of recovery (plans/accounts). |
| Scottish Government (and Agencies) | Scottish Ministers accountable to the Scottish Parliament; scrutiny via Parliament and Audit Scotland; agency Chief Executives accountable through Boards and sponsor arrangements. | Yes – national strategies and policy frameworks (not always annualised). | Yes – consolidated accounts and agency annual reports. | Yes – alcohol and drugs strategies and publications. |
| Social Security Scotland | Executive agency accountable to Scottish Ministers; public reporting and audit under Scottish public body arrangements. | Yes – Corporate / Business Plan. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Indirect – where referenced in outcomes and equality reporting. |
| National Records of Scotland (NRS) | Accountable to Scottish Ministers and Parliament under statutory and public finance arrangements; Audit Scotland scrutiny. | Yes – corporate strategy and plans. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – drug-related death statistics publications. |
| People with lived and living experience (LLE) | Not a statutory body; accountability sits with commissioning or host organisations and senior officeholders for ethical, supported participation. | N/A | N/A | Yes – via Charter, National Collaborative and hosted programme outputs. |
| COSLA | Accountable to member councils through constitutional and governance arrangements; political leadership on behalf of local government. | Yes – strategic priorities and policy positions. | Yes – audited annual accounts. | Yes – policy statements and briefings. |
| Public Health Scotland (PHS) | Special NHS Board accountable to Scottish Ministers; scrutiny via Board governance and Audit Scotland. | Yes – strategic and operating plans. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – alcohol and drugs intelligence and reporting. |
| Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) | Statutory body accountable to Scottish Ministers through Board/Chief Executive; independent scrutiny role. | Yes – corporate plans. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – where quality, standards and scrutiny relate to alcohol and drugs services. |
| Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) | National NHS Board accountable through Board and Chief Executive within NHS governance framework. | Yes – strategic and annual plans. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – overdose response and urgent care pathways. |
| Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) | Independent prosecution and death investigation authority led by the Lord Advocate; constitutional accountability and public reporting. | Yes – multi-year strategic plan. | Yes – Annual Report & Financial Statements. | Yes – death investigation and justice interface. |
| Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) | Statutory body administering courts; governance via SCTS Board chaired by the Lord President, preserving judicial independence. | Yes – corporate and business plans. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – problem-solving courts and relevant justice reporting. |
| Scottish Police Authority (SPA) | Statutory oversight body for policing; accountable through public reporting and parliamentary scrutiny. | Yes – corporate plan and policing plans. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – oversight of policing response to drug harm. |
| Police Scotland | Operationally independent Chief Constable; oversight by SPA; democratic scrutiny via Parliament and local scrutiny arrangements. | Yes – Annual Policing Plan. | Yes – reporting via Police Scotland and SPA publications. | Yes – drug harm reduction and enforcement strategy. |
| Scottish Prison Service (SPS) | National prison authority accountable through ministerial framework, Board governance and public audit. | Yes – corporate plan. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – harm reduction, treatment and throughcare reporting. |
| Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) | National service accountable through Board and ministerial framework; Audit Scotland scrutiny. | Yes – strategic and annual operating plans. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Indirect – prevention and community safety links. |
| National Third Sector Organisations (Scotland-wide) | Accountable to Boards/Trustees and regulators (e.g. OSCR) and to funders via grant/contract terms. | Usually yes – organisational strategies or business plans. | Usually yes – annual report and accounts. | Yes – often core mission content. |
| Territorial NHS Boards | Statutory NHS bodies accountable through Boards/Chief Executives within NHS governance and ministerial framework. | Yes – corporate and annual delivery plans. | Yes – Annual Report & Accounts. | Yes – ADP, public health and service planning documentation. |
| Local Authorities (Councils) | Democratically accountable to local electorates; scrutiny via elected members, Audit Scotland and public reporting. | Yes – corporate and service plans. | Yes – annual accounts and reporting. | Yes – community planning, social work, housing and health improvement reporting. |
| Integration Authorities (incl. IJBs and lawful alternatives) | Statutory integration arrangements under the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014; accountability shared with NHS Boards and Local Authorities and exercised through Chief Officers and established governance routes. | Yes – strategic commissioning and integration plans (model‑dependent). | Yes – annual performance and financial reporting (model‑dependent). | Yes – substance use embedded within integrated service planning and ADP commissioning. |
| Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) | Statutory partnerships; accountability remains with individual partner organisations for their statutory functions, with democratic scrutiny primarily through local authorities. | Yes – Local Outcomes Improvement Plans and locality plans. | Usually yes – public reporting on LOIP progress (format varies). | Sometimes – where alcohol and/or drugs is identified as a local priority. |
| Chief Officers’ Groups (COGs) | Non‑statutory senior leadership forums; authority derives from the statutory responsibilities and accountabilities of member organisations. | Variable – commonly operate via terms of reference and linked plans rather than a standalone strategy. | Variable – may not publish annual reports as discrete entities. | Sometimes – where alcohol and/or drugs intersect with public protection or community safety priorities. |
| Third sector organisations (local / service delivery) | Accountable to Boards/Trustees (and regulators such as OSCR where applicable) and to commissioning bodies for delivery and use of public funds. | Usually yes – service or business plans aligned to commissioning periods. | Usually yes – annual report and accounts. | Often yes – service descriptions, evaluation reports and outcome reporting. |
| Locally elected members (councillors) | Democratically accountable to local electorates; exercise scrutiny and governance through council decision‑making and committee structures. | N/A | N/A | Indirect – through council and CPP scrutiny where alcohol and/or drugs is a local priority. |