Safer Communities Directorate
Safer Communities Division
Population Health Improvement Directorate
Health Improvement and Equality Division
E: alcoholanddrugdelivery@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
To: ADP Chairs
ADP Co-ordinators
18 January 2016
Dear Colleague,
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THE QUALITY PRINCIPLES: ALCOHOL & DRUG PARTNERSHIP (ADP) VALIDATED
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT
We are writing to update you on the above programme of work, which was discussed at the
ADP Co-ordinators’ event on 12 November 2015. A copy of the presentation delivered by the
Care Inspectorate on the day is available via the SSKS drug and alcohol portal:
http://www.ssks.org.uk/topics/drugs-and-alcohol/national-support-to-adp's.aspx. We are
grateful for the views you expressed at the event, which we have tried to take account of
where possible.
The aim of the project is to provide an evidence-informed assessment of local
implementation, measurement and quality assurance of ADP and service compliance with
The Quality Principles: Standard Expectations of Care and Support in Drug & Alcohol
Services. To support effective implementation of the Quality Principles, the Scottish
Government has commissioned the Care Inspectorate to undertake a programme of
validated self-evaluation across Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) in Scotland to
support the validation of ADP and services’ self-assessment of performance and progress.
We would like to stress again, this is not an inspection by Care Inspectorate. It is intended to
be a supportive and helpful process for all involved. The findings from this validation work
will also be reviewed by the Scottish Government to consider and inform the future
programme of national support that will further encourage and support delivery of continued
improvements at ADP and service level.
We are aiming to engage with all 30 ADPs across Scotland. The anticipated timescale
required to complete the project has been reviewed in response to concerns raised by
attendees at the 12 November Co-ordinators’ event. The key points of the revised timetable
are shown at Annex A, which includes ADPs now having 5 weeks to complete the Position
Statement Template to gather evidence to support the self-assessment validation process,
starting today (18 January 2016) and to be returned for Friday 19 February. The Care
Inspectorate has also developed a Quality Indicator Framework to support that process. Both
of these documents have been informed by self-assessment by Lanarkshire, Dumfries &
St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG
www.scotland.gov.uk
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Galloway, MELDAP, South Ayrshire and Scottish Borders ADPs as well as templates and
guidance used for ADP planning and reporting. The Guide to Evaluating Drug and Alcohol
Services Using Quality Indicators and Position Statement Template are attached.
We recognise that some ADPs have already started to develop improvement frameworks.
However, to ensure consistency at a national level, ADPs will be expected to use the Quality
Indicators Framework developed for this work and all other associated resources.
To reduce duplication for you, it has also been agreed that all ADPs that appropriately
complete local Position Statements will not be required to submit that information again in
annual reports in 2016. We will shortly be conducting an exercise that will map the Position
Statement with information gathered through annual reports to ensure no duplication takes
place. Some support will also be available from the Scottish Government National Support
team to identify potential ways in which ADPs can fulfil this work.
As part of this validation work, we want to gather the views of staff across services that are
providing treatment, care, rehabilitation, wider services and support and from individuals
accessing services. Two online surveys, aimed at gathering both the views of staff and
users of services in relation to each of the Quality Principles, will be sent in a separate email. We would encourage you to share the staff survey link widely with service providers
and commissioner of services and also ask you to share the service user link widely across
services with people who are accessing treatment and support services.
Please note these survey links are open for 3 weeks, from Monday 18 Jan 2016 and will
close on Monday 8 February 2016.
The Care Inspectorate validation team will be drawn from the Inspection Directorate and will
consist of three Strategic Inspectors working with Associate Assessors who will have
knowledge and practice experience in alcohol and drugs services. It is expected that
Associate Assessors will be nominated by their according ADP and receive approval from
their employer in order to support the validation of other ADP areas’ self-evaluation. Helen
Happer can be contacted in the first instance (Helen.happer@careinspectorate.com) by
anyone wishing to discuss becoming an Associate Assessor. The nomination form attached
at Annex B should be completed and returned to Helen by Friday 5 February 2016.
The Scottish Drugs Forum will support the Care Inspectorate through helping facilitate
consultation with ADPs, services and service users. The National Quality Development team
will offer support to quality improvement processes and will negotiate this based on need
and available resources.
The Project Lead who will have overall responsibility for the programme of work is Sharon
Robertson, Strategic Inspector, Care Inspectorate, Compass House, Riverside Drive,
Dundee, DD1 4NY. Sharon Robertson can be contacted in the Dundee office on 01382
207202, mobile 0771 722 5965 and email address sharon.robertson@careinspectorate.com.
In addition to seeking nominations for Associate Assessors, we would request in your
capacity as Chair of your ADP area that you arrange a nomination for a single key
contact/coordinator to assist the project team to successfully engage all relevant partners
throughout the programme of work. We would be grateful if you would identify by email, by
Friday 22 January 2016, to the Project Lead, Sharon Robertson with a copy to Amy Goldie,
Administrative Officer (amy.goldie@careinspectorate.com), your nominated single key
contact/coordinator. As soon as they are identified, Sharon Robertson will be in touch with
them to brief them on the planned programme of work.
St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG
www.scotland.gov.uk
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At the end of the project, an anonymised national report of findings will be prepared, which
you will have the opportunity to comment on prior to publication. We will also prepare short,
individualised summary briefings for each ADP area featuring strengths and
recommendations for improvement, which will also satisfy the ADP annual report point set
out above. Each ADP will be encouraged and supported to develop their own action plan to
take forward identified local improvements.
If you have any questions about the programme of work or require further clarification,
please contact, Project Lead, Sharon Robertson or Mike Harkin, Depute Lead who can be
contacted at The Care Inspectorate on 01382 346193, mobile 07717540486 or email
address mike.harkin@careinspectorate.com.
Yours sincerely
Scott McEwen, The Scottish Government
Kevin Mitchell, The Care Inspectorate
Enc. Annex A: Timetable of Key Stages
Annex B: ADP AA Nomination Form
ADP Information for AAs
ADP Information for Employers
Guide to Evaluating Drug and Alcohol Services Using Quality Indicators
Position Statement Template
St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG
www.scotland.gov.uk
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