Drug Interventions Programme
Increasing Client Engagement
The Drug Interventions Programme has achieved significant progress in increasing the numbers of drug using offenders entering treatment.
3448 individuals entered treatment through DIP in February 2007 (the highest monthly total since the Programme began), but performance continues to vary significantly between areas and over time.
DIP is committed to increasing engagement, improving retention in appropriate treatment and support, continuing to drive up performance throughout the Programme, and ensuring value for money. DIP can only attain these objectives through effective partnership working at a national, regional and local level. To that end, the DIP Management Board in September 2005 commissioned a multi-agency working group (the "Increasing Client Engagement" Working Group) to deal with this issue and to build on earlier work commissioned in October 2004 to tackle "front end" attrition between initial contact and assessment.
Since the initial piece of work was undertaken, significant changes have occurred in DIP and altered the context for the group’s work.
The main changes were:
- The implementation of "Tough Choices" enacting sections of the Drugs Act 2005; introducing testing on arrest and required assessment in intensive areas in England and follow-up assessments across non intensive areas from 1 April 2007.
- Tough Choices also expanded Restriction on Bail to all Local Justice areas in England. In the intensive areas, the new measures have increased dramatically the numbers of drug misusing offenders being assessed but potentially shift the key engagement challenge to assessment to caseload/treatment;
- The national rollout of the DIR to community and prisons in England and Wales, allowing for more accurate and robust performance management. The DIR review was completed early 2007 and the new DIR was introduced on 1 April;
- The increased maturity of DIP;
- The NTA effectiveness agenda; and
- The continuing development of the National Offender Management Service.
- The alignment of DIP/PPO following the Criminal Justice Review recommendation which was published in July 2006.
The remit of the re-convened group was, therefore, to produce an appropriate response to the issue of increasing engagement across the whole Programme, including the establishment of an accountability and performance management/monitoring process via the DIP Management Board. The Working Group comprises representatives from: DIP (Home Office), Drug Strategy Directorate (Home Office), Government Office Drug Teams, National Treatment Agency, HM Prison Service, National Offender Management Service, National Probation Directorate and National Criminal Justice Drug Workers Forum.
The resulting Action Plan is based around six objectives across a variety of themes, all of which have been identified as potentially hindering engagement:
1) To improve recruitment, management and retention of workers in line with the DSD workforce strategy.
2) Workers and managers to direct resources and efforts into appropriate client groups.
3) All partners and stakeholders to understand the end to end DIP process and to contribute to ensuring the most effective and appropriate pathway for each client.
4) To ensure accessible and appropriate services available for all, delivered by a competent workforce with best use made of community engagement.
5) To ensure that all DIP services and treatment, including aims and outcomes are communicated effectively to all stake-holders.
6) Ensure that data collection and management processes are clear, appropriate and communicated to all parties.
This Action Plan was finalised in the summer 2006, and was sent to all Government Offices and Drug Action Teams in England. It has been used by performance managers as a point of reference when seeking ways to drive up performance. It is recommended that the Action Plan is taken into account in the commissioning, management and delivery of services.
The plan has deliberately been designed to address "ground/front-line" level issues in order for a real impact to be made on delivery and performance at that level. It is not intended to cut across or to replace existing strategic or management level plans or existing protocols (for example protocols with the police) but rather to complement them and to be used in conjunction with them. It is not an inspection regime and will not be used as such at local or regional level.
Good Practice from across the regions has been attached to the Action Plan, in the guidance section of the website. The aim is to highlight successful projects and methods of working and to provide plans and ideas for areas to consider and hopefully use according to their particular needs. If you wish to share any good practice, please contact the ICE secretariat (contact details right).The Action Plan and examples of good practice will be reviewed every quarter to ensure that the plan continues to be relevant following any further development(s) in DIP and regular reports will continue to be made to meetings of the DIP Management Board. The ICE Working Group will continue to meet quarterly for the foreseeable future to continue to ensure that the action plan and good practice remain relevant.
