The Quality Principles: Standard Expectations of Care and Support in Drug and Alcohol Services

The Recovery Philosophy

The Recovery Philosophy states that everyone deserves to recover from problematic drug and/or alcohol use. It exists to support the recovery journey by ensuring people are treated with dignity and respect when they choose to access, and work in partnership with, drug and/or alcohol treatment and support services.

Effective help can be found in mutual support groups, third sector services and health and social care. Wherever it takes place, recovery can only be achieved when the person seeking to recover is engaged with the process and drives their recovery forward.

Your recovery belongs to you. Services will work with you to progress your recovery. You should work together with staff who will, in turn, empower you to achieve your goals.

1. You should be seen as capable of changing and becoming positively connected to your local community.

2. You should have access to information on the different pathways to recovery, including long-term recovery. This information should be provided in ways that you can understand.

3. You should be able to set your own recovery goals, working with others to develop a personalised recovery plan based on accurate and understandable information about your health, including a wide-ranging, holistic assessment of your needs and aspirations.

4. You should receive support from organisations or health and social care providers that are positive about recovery.

5. You should be treated with dignity and respect. If you relapse and begin treatment again, services should welcome your continued efforts to achieve long-term recovery.

6. You should be able to access services that recognise and build on your strengths and needs and coordinate their efforts to provide recovery-based care that respects your background and cultural beliefs.

7. You should be represented by informed policymakers who remove barriers to educational, housing and employment opportunities once you are on the road to recovery.

8. You should be able to access respectful, non-discriminatory care from all service providers and to receive services on the same basis as anyone else who uses health and social care and third sector services.

9. You should have access to treatment and recovery support in the criminal justice system that is consistent and continues when you leave.

10. You should have the choice to speak out publicly about your recovery to let others know that long-term recovery is a reality.