Quality standard

Quality statement 9: Continued treatment and support when abstinent

Quality statement 9: Continued treatment and support when abstinent

Quality statement

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

Rationale

Continued treatment and support is designed to help an individual's chances of recovery by maintaining abstinence and reducing the risk of adverse outcomes (including death). A lack of support may lead people with drug use disorders to relapse.

Quality measure

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Process

Proportion of people who have achieved abstinence who receive continued treatment and support for at least 6 months.

Numerator – the number of people in the denominator who receive continued treatment and support for at least 6 months after being identified as drug free.

Denominator – the number of people who have achieved abstinence.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

Outcome

Proportion of people who have achieved abstinence who are still abstinent at 6 months.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers ensure systems are in place for people who have achieved abstinence to be offered continued treatment and support for at least 6 months.

Healthcare professionals offer people who have achieved abstinence continued treatment and support for at least 6 months.

Commissioners ensure they commission services that offer continued treatment and support for at least 6 months for people who have achieved abstinence.

People who have achieved abstinence (stopped taking drugs) are offered continued treatment and support for at least 6 months.

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Support

Ongoing relapse-prevention interventions, access to peer support, provision of recovery-focused programmes such as education and interventions to address comorbid mental health problems. [Expert opinion]