I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01227 on 14 July 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-00990 on 14 July 2011. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government endorsed the UK Guidelines on Clinical Management: Drug misuse and dependence published in 2007 in our national strategy the Road to Recovery.

The Scottish Government carried out a review exercise last year to ascertain how the guidelines were being implemented at a local level. This was presented to the Drugs Strategy Delivery Commission. From this review exercise the Scottish Government were assured that each health board uses these guidelines as the basis for the local clinical guidelines.

On an individual basis clinical staff will monitor the effectiveness of treatment through ongoing review and assessment with their clients.

Decisions on the type of treatment to prescribe are for individual clinicians, in discussion with their clients and in line with national and local guidelines.

Any review of methadone would be part of the continual review of the Scottish Government’s national strategy the Road to Recovery. This long term strategy, its impact and success requires review from both within and out with Government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-00789 on 24 June 2011. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/MAQASearch/QAndMSearch.aspx.

In order to do this effectively and sustainably the Scottish Government established the Drugs Strategy Delivery Commission (DSDC) in 2009 to give expert advice on the impact and progress of the strategy.

In addition to the work of the DSDC, we recognise that the Strategy is a product of political consensus and so it was right that the Scottish Government requested and led a parliamentary debate in September 2010, to hear the challenge and consensus of all political parties. Additionally briefing in parliament from the, then, Minister for Community Safety, Fergus Ewing MSP, was offered to all MSPs, as well as individual briefings for all party leaders, in March 2011.

The Scottish Government also has a national indicator to decrease the number of estimated problem drug users in Scotland by 2011, and 2009-10 prevalence estimates which will be reported in December this year.

In 2009 we committed to a HEAT target that states that by March 2013, 90 per cent of clients will wait no longer than 3 weeks from referral received to appropriate drug or alcohol treatment that supports their recovery. We are well on our way to achieving this target. In June 2011 we reported that approximately 94% of clients offered an appointment for assessment were offered a date which fell within the reporting period and was within 4 weeks of referral. And that approximately 96% of those offered an appointment for treatment were offered a date within 4 weeks of the date a care plan was agreed.

The Scottish Government has invested significant resources to enhance the Scottish Drugs Misuse Database (SDMD) to include the collection of follow-up and outcomes based information from clients as they progress through their treatment pathway.

The analysis and reporting of this information (expected by December 2012) will provide us with some key answers to the numbers of people in drug treatment in Scotland (by treatment type); and provide an opportunity for additional analysis which will inform our understandings of people’s journeys through drug treatment (for particular cohort groups), the effectiveness of different types of treatment (including length of time) and the outcomes that individuals are achieving (e.g. around accommodation, family, employment/training, drug use and offending).

So far from the SDMD we note that since 2007 more and more people are coming in to treatment (35,430 recorded entries into treatment, 2007-08 – 2009-10).

The Scottish Government remains committed to providing Parliament with regular updates on the implementation and impact of Road to Recovery for the review and challenge of MSPs. We want to continue to work with parties across the Parliament to build on and reinforce the consensus this important approach.

Information on the number of individuals in Scotland, who have been helped by methadone treatment is currently not centrally available.

The development of a follow-up reporting system for the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD), which is currently being rolled-out across specialist drug treatment services in Scotland, will allow patients to be tracked through the treatment system and will give us more information on the numbers of people engaging with treatment provision at any given time, what interventions have been delivered and what treatment outcomes have been achieved. This will include information on the numbers of people receiving specialist prescribing interventions related to the treatment of their drug use. Data will be collected from individuals at a three month follow-up session and subsequently annually thereafter. NHS Information Services Division Scotland anticipates that follow-up data for 2011-12 (the first full year’s worth of data) will be reported from December 2012, but plans to release interim reports in 2011.

The Drug Treatment Waiting Times Information Framework (NHS Information Services Division Scotland) collects data on the range of drug treatments and support which are offered to individuals accessing specialist drug treatment services in Scotland. For the last quarter (January – March 2011), the following offers of appointments for treatment were made:

Structured preparatory and motivational interventions – 1,936

Community based support and/or rehabilitation – 1,795

Prescribed drug treatment – 1,055

Residential Detoxification and rehabilitation – 108

These figures indicate that services are offering a wide-range of drug treatment interventions and support, and that prescribed drug treatment (including methadone) is not the most commonly offered service.

(a) There is currently no national routinely collected information on the numbers of people receiving methadone prescriptions in Scotland. This data has never been available. The Scottish Government is currently collecting information from pharmacists to give a more up-to-date snapshot of the number of people receiving a methadone prescription in each Health Board area during April 2011.

The development of a follow-up reporting system for the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD), which is currently being rolled-out across specialist drug treatment services in Scotland, will allow patients to be tracked through the treatment system and will give us more information on the numbers of people engaging with treatment provision at any given time, what interventions have been delivered and treatment outcomes. This will include information on the numbers of people receiving specialist prescribing interventions related to the treatment of their drug use. Data will be collected from individuals at a three month follow-up session and subsequently annually thereafter. NHS Information Services Division Scotland anticipates that follow-up data for 2011-12 (the first full years worth of data) will be reported from December 2012, but plans to release interim reports in 2011.

The Drug Treatment Waiting Times Information Framework (NHS Information Services Division Scotland) collects data on the range of drug treatments and support which are offered to individuals accessing specialist drug treatment services in Scotland. For the last quarter (Jan – Mar 2011), the following offers of appointments for treatment were made:

Structured preparatory and motivational interventions – 1,936

Community based support and/or rehabilitation – 1,795

Prescribed drug treatment – 1,055

Residential Detoxification and rehabilitation – 108

The total number of items dispensed in Scotland for methadone mixture and solution (1mg/ml) for each of the last eight years (2003-04 to 2010-11) is shown in the following table.

Total number of items dispensed for methadone mixture^1, Items dispensed in Scotland by NHS Health Board - Financial year: 2003-04 to 2010-11

Notes:

1. Data relate to methadone mixture and solution (1mg/ml) which are recognised as being the standard products for methadone programmes.

2. An item is an individual product prescribed. A prescription normally contains up to three items.

3. Data refer to methadone dispensings held centrally and exclude the supply of medicines to patients treated in hospitals and clinics.

4. Methadone is also used as a strong analgesic and a cough suppressant. These data are not included in this analysis.

5. Data exclude items dispensed in England.

Source: NSS NHS Information Services Division Scotland (IR2011-01468).

It should be noted that individuals may have more than one prescription and therefore the number of dispensed items does not equate to the number of individuals in receipt of methadone treatment.

The increased number of dispensed items may be due to the increased numbers of individuals coming into treatment of which methadone may be a component of a package of care, treatment and recovery. The increase may also be due to increased pharmacy supervision in line with good practice and the Drug Misuse and dependence UK guidelines on clinical management.

Cities have a strong contribution to make to Scotland's growth strategy. The cities strategy will aim to help cities and city regions fulfil their potential and be catalysts for greater growth and prosperity throughout the country.

www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

We will review the complaints handling process as we develop the directions, regulations and guidance associated with the bill to identify areas for improvement and strengthen support available to patients.

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.