Drug strategy
See other news storiesDiversity achievements
13 December 2006
We are committed to embedding diversity within and across the drug strategy. We aim to ensure that under-represented groups have full and appropriate access to drug prevention, education and treatment.
Communication campaigns
The Crime and Drug Strategy Directorate is committed to supporting local partnerships and other stakeholders in their communications work with diverse audiences. Talking Diversity (new window), a comprehensive resource and information pack, has been produced as part of the FRANK campaign. It offers a snapshot of a range of communities and their specific needs and issues with regards to drugs. It also contains advice and ideas for tailored communications with BME groups, refugees and asylum seekers, individuals from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups, gypsies and travellers and people with disabilities. Over 25,000 packs have been distributed to date.
The Crime and Drug Strategy Directorate works closely with the Department of Health (new window) and also the National Treatment Agency (new window) (NTA). The NTA is a special health authority established by the government in 2001 to increase the availability, capacity and effectiveness of treatment services for drug misuse in England. In 2006,the NTA and the centre for Ethnicity and Health at the University of Central Lancashire jointly created the first interactive CD-ROM to evaluate and develop the diversity strategy of drug and alcohol services. This interactive tool aims to provide a practical and comprehensive resource for treatment organisations to ensure that diversity and equality needs are met as part of core business and to assist with compliance with relevant legislation. A copy of the CD-ROM can be ordered by e-mailing.
The Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) Race Equality and Diversity Scrutiny Panel has been established to ensure that interventions within DIP serve all communities equally well. The panel's key responsibilities are to:
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map current race equality and diversity activity through DIP, as well as any barriers to inclusion
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develop a DIP Race Equality and Diversity Action Plan and to ensure its implementation
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review data from DIP information systems and identify its usefulness in developing work streams and action plans
DIP has started to take forward a number of work streams to ensure race equality and diversity issues are addressed across all areas of activity.
The University of Central Lancashire ran a DIP community engagement project, building on their work with the Department of Health. The key themes covered were
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employment, treatment engagement, partnership involvement and needs analysis
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working to increase engagement across the programme
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a race and diversity conference was held in November 2005
DIP and the NTA have more robust data and are gaining a greater understanding of diversity issues across the programme to increase the accessibility of appropriate treatment and support to all.
