DrugScope have published a consultation response calling for inclusion of specific references to alcohol and drugs within the Commissioning Outcomes Framework (COF). They call for a specific indicator for dual diagnosis (co-morbidity), and ask for alcohol and drug problems to be recognised as long-term conditions.
COF will enable the NHS Commissioning Board to identify how the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are achieving the priorities for health improvement as outlined in the NHS Outcomes Framework. The COF contains indicators which derive mostly from NICE evidence based standards and the NHS Outcomes Framework. However no specific reference to alcohol was made in the draft COF indicators. It is intended that COF becomes operational in April 2013.
Although alcohol services will be commissioned by Public Health through Local Authorities, the CCGs will have reason to address the needs of many people who have alcohol problems. Other key links such as health inequalities and family or parental misuse are also cited as reasons to ensure substance misuse is sufficiently recognised in the COF.
Alcohol is recognised, however, within the recently published NHS Public Health Outcomes Framework, as part of the Health Improvement domain. This includes a committment to monitor alcohol-related hospital admissions, though the definitions may change. A new alcohol strategy is expected later this month. Information on the new public health system has been produced by The Department of Health as a series of factsheets.
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