This quality standard defines clinical best practice within this topic area. It provides specific, concise quality statements, measures and audience descriptors to provide the public, health and social care professionals, commissioners and service providers in the UK with definitions of high-quality care.

This quality standard covers the treatment of adults (18 years or over) who misuse opioids, cannabis, stimulants or other drugs in all settings in which care is received, in particular inpatient and specialist residential and community-based treatment settings. This includes related organisations such as prison services and the interface with other services, for example those provided by the voluntary sector.

List of quality statements
Statement 1. People who inject drugs have access to needle and syringe programmes in accordance with NICE guidance.

Statement 2. People in drug treatment are offered a comprehensive assessment.

Statement 3. Families and carers of people with drug use disorders are offered an assessment of their needs.

Statement 4. People accessing drug treatment services are offered testing and referral for treatment for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV and vaccination for hepatitis B.

Statement 5. People in drug treatment are given information and advice about the following treatment options: harm-reduction, maintenance, detoxification and abstinence.

Statement 6. People in drug treatment are offered appropriate psychosocial interventions by their keyworker.

Statement 7. People in drug treatment are offered support to access services that promote recovery and reintegration including housing, education, employment, personal finance, healthcare and mutual aid.

Statement 8. People in drug treatment are offered appropriate formal psychosocial interventions and/or psychological treatments.

Statement 9. People who have achieved abstinence are offered continued treatment or support for at least 6 months.

Statement 10. People in drug treatment are given information and advice on the NICE eligibility criteria for residential rehabilitative treatment.