Statement of Intent to address harm caused by drugs

Leaders from across the Dundee Partnership are issuing a renewed Statement of Intent following the publication of the Dundee Drug Commission’s update report:

Addressing the harm caused to people who use drugs, their families and communities is a top priority for Dundee. We are committed to delivering the services and support that people need at every stage of their recovery from problems related to drug use.

As city leaders, we have reflected deeply on the Dundee Drugs Commission’s findings. We accept that there is much more to be done to achieve a response that is comprehensive, accessible, trauma-informed and compassionate. The Alcohol and Drug Partnership will have an important role in leading this further improvement work, but as leaders we will ensure that all of our agencies play their part and we will review the leadership and membership of our local partnership arrangements to provide independent advice and support as we continue our improvement journey.

Our workforce has shown tremendous resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The knowledge, skills and experience of our collective workforce, both in the public and third sector, is one of the greatest assets we have in driving forward further changes in the way that we deliver services in the future. We are committed to fully engaging our people in the next phase of our improvement work and to supporting their health and wellbeing.

Our full response to the most recent findings of the Dundee Drug Commission will be detailed in a revised strategic plan for the Dundee Alcohol and Drug Partnership. This will be published by the end of the summer, setting out a five-year plan for whole system transformation and improvement. The plan will also be informed by priorities set nationally by the Scottish Government.

While we continue to work with people with lived experience, the wider public and our partners to develop our next strategic plan, we have identified some immediate priorities for action. Our work in these priority areas will start now – given the need to continue to make improvements at pace, we will not wait until our plan is published: 

Reduce Significant Harm and Deliver the Right Care in the Right Place at the Right Time

• We accept that Constitution House should not be the main site for delivery of the Dundee Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service. Informed by the expertise of our workforce and stakeholders, we will bring forward proposals that support services to be delivered in the future by co-located, multi-disciplinary teams working from accessible, community-based locations. A timescale for moving service delivery to this model will be confirmed in the revised strategic plan.
• Accelerating our work to fully implement a recovery-orientated system of care, implementing the national Medication Assisted Treatment Standards and ensuring there is ‘no wrong door’ for people who use drugs and need our help and support. This will build on recent progress in implementing a shared care approach with primary care services, strengthening our approach to residential rehabilitation, assertive outreach provision, and immediate support for people identified as having experienced a non-fatal overdose. Enhancing the role of independent advocacy, gendered approaches to providing treatment and support, and support for carers and family      members (including those who have tragically been bereaved) will be areas of particular focus in the short-term.
• Strengthening our relationship with third sector partners. As part of this, we are committed to continuing to listen to the third sector about their concerns and challenges and work collaboratively with them to jointly agree improvements. We will also support the third sector by advocating for change at a national level where their concerns cannot be resolved locally.

City Year of Hope, Kindness and Compassion

• Delivered by the whole city and supporting a compassionate response to the needs of citizens impacted by mental health issues, isolation, alcohol and drug use and other adversities as we emerge from the pandemic. We will be inviting Dundee citizens and communities to actively contribute and participate alongside civic leaders, public bodies, the third sector, and private sector.

Focus on Prevention

• We will take forward prevention approach that addresses the underlying causes of drug and alcohol use and is delivered through a collective effort across the whole Dundee Partnership. This will include a continued focus on the development and implementation of trauma-informed practice and leadership.

Empowerment of Lived Experience

• Our revised strategic plan will respond to the needs of local people and to what they have told us, through the work of the Drug Commission and our own self-assessment about their needs and priorities. We are committed ensuring that particular attention and respect is given to the contributions of people with lived and living experience of drug and alcohol use.

These are only our initial commitments; the revised strategic plan for drug and alcohol recovery will set out in more detail how we will deliver and finance these and other aspects of the Commission’s recommendations and national policy in much greater detail. As leaders we commit to identifying additional resources as part of the development of the revised strategic plan to ensure that it can be implemented fully and at pace. 

We will continue to work closely across the Scottish Government, Dundee City Council, NHS Tayside Board and the Integration Joint Board to demonstrate and publicly report on our progress over the next five years.

We believe that our collective effort can and will deliver transformative change for some of the most vulnerable citizens of Dundee, enabling them to recover and to thrive.

Signatories

Grant Archibald, NHS Tayside

Greg Colgan, Dundee City Council

Vicky Irons, Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership

Phil Davison, Police Scotland

Christina Cooper, DVVA

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