Why is this HEAT target important?
To ensure more people recover from drug and alcohol problems so that they can live longer, healthier lives, realising their potential and making a positive contribution to society and the economy. The first stage in helping people to recover from drug and alcohol problems is to support action across the country to provide a wide range of services for individuals and their families that are recovery focused, good quality and that can be accessed when and where they are needed.
How are we performing?
Performance for drug and alcohol waiting times can be found on the target page for drug and alcohol waiting times. Performance for the interim drug waiting times target is shown below.
Target due for delivery by March 2013
By March 2013, 90 per cent of clients will wait no longer than 3 weeks from referral received to appropriate drug or alcohol treatment that supports their recovery.
Data systems have been developed to report on waiting times for referral to treatment and will be fully implemented by April 2011. Quarterly reports published on data submitted from 1 April 2011 will therefore be on referral to treatment rather than the stages of treatment (i.e. referral to assessment and assessment to treatment).
As an interim milestone towards delivery of the March 2013 target, it was agreed that by December 2010, 90 per cent of clients referred for drug treatment would receive a date for assessment that falls within 4 weeks of referral received and 90 per cent of clients would receive a date for treatment that falls within 4 weeks of their care plan being agreed.
Actual performance in December 2010 was: 92.1 per cent of clients offered an appointment for assessment were offered a date that was within 4 weeks of their referral, and 97.1 per cent of clients who were offered an appointment for their first treatment intervention were offered a date that was within 4 weeks of their care plan being agreed.
Percentage of clients who waited no longer than 4 weeks, by NHS Board, in December 2010 - Key Performance Indicator
| NHS Board | Date offered for assessment | Date offered for treatment |
|---|
| NHS AYRSHIRE & ARRAN | 93.4 | 95.9 |
| NHS BORDERS | 97.4 | 100.0 |
| NHS DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| NHS FIFE | 82.5 | 87.9 |
| NHS FORTH VALLEY | 95.0 | 98.0 |
| NHS GRAMPIAN | 71.3 | 96.3 |
| NHS GREATER GLASGOW & CLYDE | 97.5 | 97.3 |
| NHS HIGHLAND | 92.3 | 97.6 |
| NHS LANARKSHIRE | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| NHS LOTHIAN | 87.5 | 96.9 |
| NHS ORKNEY | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| NHS SHETLAND | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| NHS TAYSIDE | 95.0 | 97.6 |
| NHS WESTERN ISLES | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| SCOTLAND | 92.1 | 97.1 |
In addition to the December data shown above, NHS Board level performance for the quarter ending March 2011 is shown below. In the quarter ending March 2011, 94.1 per cent of clients offered an appointment for assessment were offered a date that was within 4 weeks of their referral. This compares with 89.4 per cent in the quarter ending December 2010.
In the same period, January - March 2011, 96.4 per cent of clients who were offered an appointment for their first treatment intervention were offered a date that was within 4 weeks of their care plan being agreed. This compares with 97.1 per cent in October - December 2010.
The graph below shows drug treatment waiting times up to the quarter ending March 2011.
NHS Board level performance is shown in the table below. All NHS Boards have a local target of 90 per cent of clients waiting no longer than 4 weeks for both date offered for assessment and date offered for treatment by December 2010.
Percentage of clients who waited no longer than 4 weeks, by NHS Board, in January - March 2011
| NHS Board | Date offered for assessment | Date offered for treatment |
|---|
| NHS AYRSHIRE & ARRAN | 97.2 | 98.8 |
| NHS BORDERS | 99.1 | 100.0 |
| NHS DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY | 90.9 | 95.7 |
| NHS FIFE | 93.1 | 88.9 |
| NHS FORTH VALLEY | 97.1 | 99.7 |
| NHS GRAMPIAN | 76.9 | 92.9 |
| NHS GREATER GLASGOW & CLYDE | 98.0 | 96.4 |
| NHS HIGHLAND | 93.9 | 97.1 |
| NHS LANARKSHIRE | 99.8 | 99.7 |
| NHS LOTHIAN | 90.5 | 96.2 |
| NHS ORKNEY | 100.0 | * |
| NHS SHETLAND | 100.0 | * |
| NHS TAYSIDE | 93.2 | 96.9 |
| NHS WESTERN ISLES | 100.0 | * |
| SCOTLAND | 94.1 | 96.4 |
* Indicates values that have been suppressed due to potential risk of disclosure.
Further Information
The Road to Recovery: A New Approach to Tackling Scotland's Drug Problem
National drug treatment waiting times statistics
Related National Outcomes