Quality standard
Quality statement 3: Families and carers
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.
Data source: Local data collection.
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.
Data source: Local data collection.
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.
Source guidance
Drug misuse in over 16s: psychosocial interventions. NICE guideline CG51 (2007), recommendations 1.1.2.1
Drug misuse in over 16s: opioid detoxification. NICE guideline CG52 (2007), recommendation 1.1.2.1
Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management. Department of Health and Social Care (2007), section 2.7
Definitions of terms used in this quality statement
Family members and carers
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.
Family and carer needs include personal, social and mental health needs.
Assessment
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).
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.