Commissioning drug services for vulnerable young people

Tones, Mathew; Powell, Jane; Jones, Matthew; Kimberlee, Richard

Abstract

This paper examines commissioning processes for drug services in the case of vulnerable young people. In the context of government's modernization agenda it characterizes drug service commissioning as an activity that should occur across professional boundaries in health, social care, local authority and crime agencies. A case-study approach draws attention to a number of difficulties including the lack of evidence base on which to form policy and policy change and the over-riding attention of agencies upon process rather than outcome. It recommends a multi-agency approach to discharge joint commissioning more effectively and begin incremental change to services. Development of a knowledge base with monitoring and performance evaluation systems must become priorities to inform future commissioning and decommissioning of drug services for vulnerable young people.

Citation

Tones, M., Powell, J., Jones, M., & Kimberlee, R. (2003). Commissioning drug services for vulnerable young people. Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy, 10(3), 251-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/0968763021000061100

• Journal Article Type: Review
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2003
• Journal: Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy
• Print ISSN: 0968-7637
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 251-262
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0968763021000061100
• Keywords: young people, drug services, drug management
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1069860
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0968763021000061100