Drugs and alcohol workforce: expert delivery group

Overview

The Drugs and Alcohol Workforce Expert Delivery Group was established in September 2022. Its main purpose is to consider the key challenges associated with the drugs and alcohol sector’s workforce and to formulate clear, deliverable policy recommendations which set out how these challenges will be overcome.

The remit of the group is to:

• consider each of the key challenges facing the alcohol and drugs workforce and formulate clear, deliverable policy recommendations
• assume ownership of identified actions to drive improvement across the sector as a matter of urgency, with support from Scottish Government where applicable
• plan, develop, oversee and report on activity to set out a workforce action plan by:
  • providing expert advice  to identify one-off, immediate solutions to system pressures
  • identifying medium and longer-term actions which will deliver a sustainable and resilient workforce that can respond to future drugs and alcohol needs
  • providing leadership, challenge, and expert advice on the development of the workforce action plan
  • if possible, providing evidence that the solutions proposed can have the desired impact. For example, by providing evidence from research or evaluation of pilot interventions

The group reports to the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy via Scottish Government secretariat and is chaired by Mark Kelly, interim Nurse Director for NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Members

Current and past membership includes representatives from the following organisations:

• NHS Dumfries and Galloway
• Scottish Government
• NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Renfrewshire Alcohol and Drugs Recovery Service
• NHS Education for Scotland
• Scottish Drugs Forum
• FAVOR UK
• Cyrenians
• NHS Lanarkshire
• Public Health Scotland
• Royal College of Nursing
• Scottish Social Services Council
• Scottish Recovery Consortium
• Angus Integrated Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service 
• Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Scottish Health Actions on Alcohol Problems
• Glasgow Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
• Social Work Scotland
• Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs