Drug Interventions Programme
Race Equality and Diversity
The Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) has established a Race Equality and Diversity Regional forum to help define its race equality and diversity strategy and to monitor its progress.
The forum is a multi-agency and inter-departmental group comprising representatives of key stakeholders such as the Home Office, National Treatment Agency (NTA), National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Department of Health, National Criminal Justice Drug Workers Forum (NCJDWF) and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).
The key functions of the panel are to:
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map current race equality and diversity activity through DIP, including any barriers to inclusion
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join up activity/strategies across the sector in relation to race equality and diversity as they impact on DIP
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monitor and update the DIP Race Equality and Diversity action plan
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ensure that race equality and diversity issues are effectively addressed in policy development within DIP, including identifying any policies or procedures that could have a disproportionate effect on an individual or community
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influence frontline service commissioning and delivery as appropriate in order to reach the overall aim of the drug strategy
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actively scrutinise data reports and related information, acting as a consultative body, to advise on subsequent courses of action
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review data from DIP Management Information System and identify its usefulness in developing work streams and action plans
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monitor progress, share good practice, and tackle problems
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set priorities on a yearly basis enabling the race equality and diversity agenda across DIP to move forward
A DIP Race Equality and Diversity action plan has been developed. This has been written to:
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ensure that DIP meets its statutory duty in regards to race equality and diversity
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help drive up overall performance on the ground and to identify and assist areas that are performing less well
DIP is committed to driving this strategy forward and to ensuring that all communities are served equally and effectively. Now that DIP has matured it is the time to go beyond just looking at the numbers entering treatment. We need to ensure that DIP is engaging with all those who need its services.
DIP and the NTA have more robust data and are gaining a greater understanding of diversity issues across the programme. This data will be used to support the delivery of the plan and to ensure that it increases the accessibility of appropriate treatment and support to all.
