Treatment
Pooled Treatment Budget (PTB)
Funding for drug treatment services is not commissioned centrally. Instead, combined funding from the Home Office and the Department of Health, known as the Pooled Treatment Budget (PTB), for drug treatment services is allocated annually to Drug Action Team Partnerships (DATs).
Allocations to Drug Action Teams (DATs) are made on a formula basis that recognises key deprivation factors, ensuring the money goes to the areas most in need. DATs then commission treatment services to meet the assessed needs of individuals in their area.
Funding from PTB allocations is supplemented by mainstream funding from the National Health Service.
Budget increase
Significant funding is being invested into the improvement of drug treatment services. The annual spending on all treatment services has increased considerably and is now well over £500 million per annum:
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there were record amounts of funding in 2005/06 - the PTB increased from £253 million in 2004/05 to £300 million in 2005/06, which was an increase of 18%
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the PTB is supplemented in each DAT partnership area by additional mainstream funds from the NHS (Primary Care Trusts) and local Authorities (Social Services). This is around £200 million annually
Drug Treatment continues to be a major priority for this government.The Pooled Treatment Budget for 2006/07 is £385 million, an increase of 28% over 2005/06. The PTB for 2007/08 will be a record £398 million. This increase in future funding will facilitate the ability of DATs to commission appropriate services.
Further information on the Pooled Treatment Budget, including PTB allocations for DATs up to 2007/08, can be found on the National Treatment Agency (NTA) website (new window).
