Health professionals questioned on provision of treatment to drug addicts
20 March 2012
The Home Affairs Select Committee takes evidence from those involved in advising policy makers on the provision of treatment to drug addicts and looks at the changing demands on drug treatment services.
Witnesses
Thursday 22 March 2012, Grimond Room, Portcullis House
At 11.00am
- Professor Averil Mansfield, Chair of the Board of Science, British Medical Association
- Dr Owen Bowden-Jones, Consultant Psychiatrist, Addictions Directorate of the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Chair, Faculty of Addictions, Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Dr Clare Gerada, Chair, Royal College of GPs
At 11.40am
- Paul Hayes, Chief Executive, National Treatment Agency
Purpose of the session
The Home Affairs Committee takes evidence from those involved in advising policy makers on the provision of treatment to drug addicts. The Government's priority of achieving recovery and reintegration in to society means that the priorities of drug treatment providers will have to be revised from the number of those entering treatment to the number of those who achieve recovery.
The Committee also examines the changing demands on drug treatment services, looking at the impact of skunk cannabis, novel psychoactive substances and increasing abuse of prescription drugs.
The inquiry, which has received numerous written evidence submissions from organisations and members of the public, is intended to be a comprehensive review of drugs policy.
Chair's comments
Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP, Chair of the Home Affairs Committee, said:
"Despite a decrease in the level of drug use in the UK, dangerous substances continue to cause problems in British society.
New drugs bring new harms. Last year 41 legal highs were discovered indicating that the drug of choice is shifting.
We look forward to asking those at the frontline of our health service about drug treatment and the increasing abuse of prescription drugs."