Home > HSE aims to strengthen drug services delivery.

Pike, Brigid (2010) HSE aims to strengthen drug services delivery. Drugnet Ireland, Issue 34, Summer 2010, pp. 8-9.

[img]
Preview
PDF (Drugnet Ireland 34) - Published Version
1MB

The Health Service Executive (HSE) National Service Plan 2010 sets out the agency’s plans in the drugs and alcohol area for 2010.1 HSE Drug and Alcohol Services are delivered as part of HSE Social Inclusion Services, which also include homeless services, services for minority ethnic communities, Traveller health services, community development, HSE RAPID and CLAR programmes, HIV/STI services, services for LGBT communities, and community welfare services. 

Social Inclusion Services was part of the Primary, Community and Continuing Care (PCCC) directorate. However, in late 2009, as part of its Transformation Programme, the HSE merged the PCCC directorate and the National Directorate for Hospitals into a national Integrated Services Directorate (ISD). This directorate has responsibility for the delivery, reconfiguration, performance and financial management of all health and personal social services, including drug and alcohol services. A Quality and Clinical Care Directorate has also been established. This directorate is intended to strengthen clinical leadership and improve clinical performance, as well as support the working relationship between clinicians and managers across the organisation; the participation of clinicians in the management process is regarded as a key driver of service development at national, regional and local levels. Responsibility for implementation of this process lies with the ISD.
 
On foot of this realignment, a key focus for the HSE in 2010 is to integrate the recommendations in the national drugs and homeless strategies into the provision of mainstream health services, and to put in place a national framework for rehabilitation in addiction services. The key result areas and deliverables in relation to illicit drugs planned for 2010 are set out in the following table.

Regarding drug treatment, in 2010 the HSE plans to increase its level of activity and performance as follows:

o    Average number of clients in methadone treatment per month per area – in 2009 the HSE exceeded by 136 its target of having an average of 7,636 clients in methadone treatment per month per area; it plans to maintain this increased level of throughput in 2010, i.e. 7,762 clients in methadone treatment per month per area. In prisons, the HSE set a target of an average of 612 clients in methadone treatment per month in 2009; however, the projected outturn came in 115 below this target and the HSE has adopted this lower figure of 497 as the target for 2010.
o    Number of substance misusers under 18 years of age for whom treatment, as deemed appropriate, commenced within one calendar month – in 2009 the percentage of substance misusers under 18 years of age for whom appropriate treatment was commenced within one calendar month exceeded the target of 88%, reaching 97%. For 2010 the HSE has sets its sights even higher, aiming to commence appropriate treatment within one calendar month for 100% of drug treatment clients aged under 18 years.
o    Number and percentage of substance misusers for whom treatment, as deemed appropriate, commenced within one calendar month – in 2009, 81% (1,365) of substance misusers aged 18 years and over entered appropriate treatment within one month, which was 3% below the target of 1,406 set for the year. In 2010 the HSE anticipates that 1,380 substance misusers will seek treatment for drug misuse and it is aiming to ensure that 100% of these clients commence appropriate treatment within one calendar month. The graph below shows how the HSE intends to work towards this target over the course of 2010.
 
 
 
1. Health Service Executive (2010) National Service Plan 2010. Dublin: HSE. Available at www.hse.ie
 
Item Type
Article
Publication Type
Irish-related, Open Access, Article
Drug Type
All substances
Intervention Type
Harm reduction
Issue Title
Issue 34, Summer 2010
Date
2010
Page Range
pp. 8-9
Publisher
Health Research Board
Volume
Issue 34, Summer 2010
EndNote
Accession Number
HRB (Available)

Repository Staff Only: item control page