Quality standard

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

Structure: Evidence of local arrangements to ensure people who have achieved abstinence are offered continued treatment and support for at least 6 months.

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.

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

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.

Data source

Structure: Local data collection.

Process: Local data collection.

Outcome: Local data collection.

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Support is defined as ongoing relapse-prevention interventions, access to peer support, provision of recovery-focused programmes such as education and interventions to address comorbid mental health problems.