Quality standard

Quality statement 3: Families and carers

Quality statement

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

Rationale

Drug use disorders affect the entire family and the communities in which these families live. Families and carers of people with drug use disorders are often in need of support for themselves. An assessment is important to identify their needs and determine appropriate interventions for those needs that are unmet.

Quality measure

Structure: Evidence of local arrangements to ensure families and carers of people with drug use disorders are offered an assessment of their needs.

Process: Proportion of identified family members and carers of people with drug use disorders who are offered an assessment of their needs.

Numerator – the number of people in the denominator offered an assessment of their needs.

Denominator – the number of identified family members and carers of people with drug use disorders.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers ensure systems are in place for families and carers of people with drug use disorders to be offered an assessment of their own specified needs.

Healthcare professionals ensure families and carers of people with drug use disorders are offered an assessment of their own specified needs.

Commissioners ensure they commission services that offer families and carers of people with drug use disorders an assessment of their own specified needs.

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

Data source

Structure: Local data collection.

Process: Local data collection.

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Family members and carers includes anyone affected by the person with the drug use disorder who approaches services, regardless of whether or not the person with the drug use disorder is in treatment.

An assessment should address the needs of the family member and carer and include those elements outlined in the National Treatment Agency for substance misuse's Supporting and involving carers: a guide for commissioners and providers (page 13).

Family and carers needs include personal, social and mental health needs.

Equality and diversity considerations

All assessments should 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 who need an assessment should have access to an interpreter or advocate if needed.