Quality standard

Quality statement 5: Information and advice

Quality statement 5: Information and advice

Quality statement

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

Rationale

Appropriate information and advice about available treatment options will help people make informed choices about their treatment goals and the type of treatment and support likely to help them.

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 in drug treatment receiving information and advice about the following treatment options: harm reduction, maintenance, detoxification and abstinence.

Numerator – the number of people in the denominator receiving information and advice about the following treatment options: harm reduction, maintenance, detoxification and abstinence.

Denominator – the number of people in drug treatment.

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

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers ensure systems are in place for people in drug treatment to be given information and advice about the following treatment options: harm reduction, maintenance, detoxification and abstinence.

Healthcare professionals give people in drug treatment information and advice about the following treatment options: harm reduction, maintenance, detoxification and abstinence.

Commissioners ensure they commission services in which information and advice on the following treatment options are given to people in drug treatment: harm reduction, maintenance, detoxification and abstinence.

People in drug treatment receive information and advice about the following treatment options: treatment to help people reduce the risks of taking illegal drugs (harm reduction), taking a substitute drug (such as methadone or buprenorphine) for people dependent on opioids such as heroin (maintenance), reducing opioid use in a safe and effective manner (detoxification) or treatment to help people stop taking drugs (abstinence).

Equality and diversity considerations

All information and advice about treatment should be culturally appropriate. It should also be accessible to people with additional needs such as physical, sensory or learning disabilities, and to people who do not speak or read English. People with drug use disorders should have access to an interpreter or advocate if needed.