Drug treatment services in Bradford are among the best in the country, an independent national review published today has revealed.

Treatment for problem drug users has been rated excellent' - putting the district's substance misuse service in the top five per cent in the country.

The Healthcare Commission, an independent health watchdog and the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, who undertook the review, have asked Bradford to help poorer performing areas.

It is estimated the district has 4,000 to 5,000 problem drug users and during the review period of 2004 to 2005, 3,533 people were on treatment programmes for their addictions to heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine.

The review covered 149 drug action teams - the partnerships responsible for drug treatment in England who are made up of representatives from NHS trusts, social services, the police, the probation service and the voluntary sector.

All mental health trusts and primary care trusts within those teams were also given a rating. Bradford's four PCT were rated excellent and Bradford District Care Trust was rated good.

The review focused on two areas of performance - whether services prescribe drugs such as methadone safely and appropriately and how treatment is planned and co-ordinated.

Areas assessed included how long people wait for treatment and the quality of care plans.

Bradford scored very highly in all areas with 100 per cent of people being seen and treatment beginning within a three week target, most within one to two weeks, with emergency cases being seen within 48 hours.

The district was found to have excellent guidelines for the prescribing of methadone and excellent retention rates for treatment.

Nationally the review found 53 per cent of recipients remained in treatment programmes for a minimum of 12 weeks. In Bradford the figure was a 84 per cent.

The review also found 98 per cent of service users in the district had a care plan in place after their first appointment.

Anne Flanagan, joint commissioning manager on behalf of the Safer Community Partnership in Bradford, the body which absorbed the former Drug Action Team, praised the raft of service providers across the district, to whom she said the accolades should go.

Lorraine O'Mara, of the Bridge Project, said: "Bradford gets a very negative press sometimes because of its poverty and drugs use, however, this is a way of recognising the hard work and dedication all the people in these front-line services provide."

Anna Walker, the Healthcare Commission's chief executive, said: "This review highlights excellent, as well as poor practice, allowing the poorer performers to learn from the best."

Drug treatment providers who all contributed to Bradford's rating of excellent were: Airedale and Craven Community Drug and Alcohol Team, Bradford Community Drug and Alcohol Team, Bradford City Substance Misuse Service, The Bridge Project, Caleb Project, Dr Wilson and partners at Kensington Street Health Centre in Girlington, Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (Ditto) at Turning Point, Ling House Medical Practice in Keighley, North Bradford Drug Service, Project 6 in Keighley, Farrow Road Medical Centre and Ripple Drug Services, Buttershaw.

e-mail: claire.lomax@bradford.newsquest.co.uk