| chapter 6 |
| Understanding is fundamental to effective
action on DRUGS. The right information and research is
the key |
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| Understanding
- The role of information and research |
| This
section explains the role of information and research in
underpinning the implementation of Scotland's drugs
strategy. |
| What sort of understanding? |
| Understanding is fundamental to effective
action on drugs. The right information and research is
the key. Without that we will not get the results we are
looking for. It is about deciding what we need to know,
taking the steps to find that out, ensuring that the
results are robust and then disseminating the information
to those in a position to use it to bring about the right
results. In future decisions will be fully founded on
timely and good quality research, information and
intelligence. The arrangements for research should be
such that new patterns of drug misuse can be addressed
rapidly. |
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| What is meant by information and
research? |
| There are close links and overlaps in the
use of the terms "information" and
"research". In general, information obtained
through routine systems and through research provide a
foundation in support of decision making. Routine
information provides the stability and constancy
necessary for year on year monitoring and baseline
comparisons. New research will address gaps in knowledge,
assess effectiveness and seek to explore specific topics
in greater detail. The key purpose here is to set out
the arrangements for the handling of drugs information
and for generating the research material behind much of
that information. Work in these two areas needs to be
closely tied together given the interrelationship between
them. Those taking forward the work are expected to
ensure that this happens. |
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| Information |
| What has the Government done to improve
information on drugs? |
| The Scottish Drug Misuse Information
Strategy, launched in April 1998, recognises the role of
information in tackling Scotland's drugs problem. It
establishes a structure for the long term availability of
appropriate information in support of evidence based
decision taking. It is not just Government that requires
this information. Everyone involved in dealing with drug
misuse and its consequences needs information of
different kinds matched to their individual role.
Organisations from The Scottish Office to street
agencies, from prisons to GPs, and from DATs to community
groups require a unique set of information to suit their
needs. That information is now there, is being planned or
will be delivered in time through research. |
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| Specialist expertise |
| A key component of the Information Strategy
was the establishment of a new unit in the Information
and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency
(ISD) as the focal point for drugs information in
Scotland. They are the specialists in that area. ISD is
tasked with channelling information from a wide range of
sources to those involved in tackling drugs misuse,
promoting standardisation of data collection, and helping
with the identification of significant gaps in current
information provision. |
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| ISD draws on the expertise and resources of
other information providers such as the General Register
Office for Scotland, the Health Education Board for
Scotland, and the Scottish Centre for Infection and
Environmental Health, as well as other parts of ISD.
Close links are maintained with the information and
research units of Scottish Office Departments, the
research community, including the Centre for Drug Misuse
Research and the users and providers of information in
the voluntary sector such as the Scottish Drugs Forum.
ISD in turn provide expertise and information resources
on drugs across Scottish Office departments and their
agencies. |
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| Delivering
the Information Strategy |
"COSLA is particularly keen to
build on the initial links that have been forged with the
Information and Statistics Division " Scottish Local Government Drugs
Forum of COSLA 1999
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| This
approach to drugs information underlines the importance
of co-ordination and collaboration if information is to
be available where it is needed. This is joined up
Government in action. |
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| The
emphasis is on practical information requirements. What
information do the DATs need to do their job? What do the
agencies and those commissioning services need? And is
that information already available somewhere, but needs
to be located, or is new information or research the
requirement? The importance of exploiting existing
information and collection arrangements fully, and
building on these, is highlighted. Information should not
be collected for its own sake - time spent doing that is
time not spent on the main task and is an additional cost
on the service. Information must be relevant, reliable
and accessible; should aim to benefit the providers of
the service; and also assist them to account for their
contribution to the strategy. |
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| Information priorities |
| Within the Information Strategy priority is
being given to six key areas of work: |
- national objectives;
- national and local
performance measurement and trend statistics;
- drug policies and
local co-operation/co-ordination;
- prevention and
education - outcome effectiveness and cost
effectiveness;
- care and treatment -
outcome effectiveness and cost effectiveness; and
- drugs and the wider
community, including community safety.
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| Absolute priority is being given to
information activities in support of Scotland's
Objectives and corresponding performance measurements.
This will provide objective assessment of progress with
the strategy. This is not measurement for its own sake,
but in support of improved services, action on the ground
and real results. This work also provides a common core
of drugs information across Scotland. Information in
support of the national objectives and performance
measurement should therefore also be given priority by
DATs and individual agencies in addressing information
needs in support of the strategy. |
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| One issue of particular importance to
information about drugs misuse is continued and improved
contribution to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database.
Commissioners are expected to pay particular attention to
ensuring that all services to which they provide funding
are providing accurate and timely contributions to the
Database to maximise coverage. |
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INFORMATION
STRATEGY - CURRENT TASKS
- Annual publication of
an easy to read "information digest".
- Annual publication of
key indicators of performance and activity.
- Ongoing development
of compendia of local information from routine
sources for DATs and their constituent agencies
and partners - where possible disaggregated to
DAT, Health Board and local authority level.
- Improving access to a
wide range of drugs information through
development of a national drug misuse Internet
site and assistance to DATs and agencies wanting
to develop local Web sites.
- The development of
re-reporting to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database
for persons in receipt of substitute prescribing
such as methadone to lay the foundations for
ongoing monitoring of the extent and efficacy of
substitute prescribing.
- Improving the number
and quality of returns to the Scottish Drug
Misuse Database, to enhance its value to
Government and agencies in policy making and
delivery of services.
- Development with
others of practical outcome measures, and
co-ordinating activity within Scotland on this
issue.
- Liaison with the
Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence (ISDD)
and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and
Drug Addiction. (EMCDDA)
- Establishment of an
Information Forum to discuss and advise on
strategic issues relating to drug misuse
information.
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| Research |
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| What are the Government doing on
research? |
| The national objectives for drug misuse set
out by Ministers in November 1997 included |
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| "developing a research and information
programme reflecting national objectives with emphasis on
the development of cost effective and evidence based
strategies and service delivery based on
effectiveness." |
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| Much current drug misuse research in
Scotland is financed and managed by the Chief Scientist
Office of the Department of Health. Through the CSO the
Government have invested over £1.5 million in research
over the last five years. This research has substantially
improved understanding of the pattern of drug misuse in
Scotland, and of the effectiveness of interventions such
as substitute prescribing. Other Scottish Office
Departments have also conducted significant amounts of
research on drug education, criminal justice and other
aspects of drug misuse via the Central Research Unit and
departmental agency and other research units. Over
£450,000 has been spent in this way over the past five
years. |
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| What
more is required? |
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| Research commissioned and undertaken so far
has provided valuable information to support local and
national efforts to tackle drug misuse. Future research
effort should be focused on the information needs of the
enhanced drug strategy. Mechanisms are needed to ensure
that the results of previous research are synthesised and
disseminated to decision-makers and service providers at
all levels, and that new research is targeted on the most
significant gaps in our knowledge. |
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| Annual
Drug Misuse Research Programme |
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| The core of the Government's research
strategy for drugs will be the Annual Drug Misuse
Research Programme, developed by a sub-committee of the
Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse. The
sub-committee will identify research priorities by
reviewing existing work and by consulting DATs, the
Information Strategy Team (through ISD), local service
providers and the research community. It will draft a
programme setting out these priorities for approval by
the main Committee and by Ministers. |
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| Although the detail of the Programme will be
for the sub-committee to work out, it is likely that it
will focus on the effectiveness of drug misuse
interventions and services, harmful behaviour and its
consequences, drug education, and on work that could
augment routine monitoring systems. Systematic reviews of
published work and secondary analysis of existing data
are likely to be needed, alongside new primary research.
The relevance of drug misuse to other measures -
improving health and community safety, educational
achievement and reducing social exclusion and crime, for
instance - points to the need for breadth as well as
focus, in a research programme on drug misuse. The
sub-committee will also consider how best to deliver the
programme. Again, the detail is for the sub-committee to
decide, but it is likely that a mixture of methods,
including both direct commissioning and responsive
grants, will be needed. SACDM's advisory role on national
research will be given further consideration. |
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| Once the Programme is up and running,
mechanisms will be put in place for disseminating the
findings. It is important that research and other
information should be distributed in as clear and as
co-ordinated a way as possible. The mechanisms that are
being developed to provide access to drug misuse
information under the Information Strategy should
therefore be enhanced to cover research as well as
routine monitoring data. |
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| The strategy will also ensure that those
responsible for services at a local level are aware of
the best possible research relevant to their
responsibilities and will be in a position to commission
research to reflect local circumstances, if it is needed. |
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| SACDM has drawn up the following guidelines
which will be used to inform the development of the
research strategy: |
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GUIDELINES
FOR DRUG MISUSE RESEARCH
- Publicly funded
research must support the implementation of
Scotland's drug misuse strategy, and meet the
needs of policy makers and service providers.
- An annual research
programme will be developed on the basis of
widespread consultation, and published with a
summary of available funding sources.
- Existing research
must be critically appraised, and key messages
extracted to avoid duplication of effort and to
guide policy and service development.
- There will be a bias
towards applied research with outcomes of
practical value to Drug Action Teams and other
agencies involved in tackling drug misuse, and an
emphasis on the dissemination of research
findings in an accessible and useable form.
- Research elsewhere in
the UK and overseas must be kept under review to
help Scotland keep abreast of developments in
interventions worldwide.
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