BRADFORD residents have been invited to have their say as part of a full review of the drug and alcohol treatment system in the district.

A consultation has been started by Bradford Council, which aims to improve the system used to treat alcohol and drug misuse in the local area.

The process will give the public an opportunity to tell the district’s Department of Public Health what currently works well within the system and where improvements could be made.

T&A COMMENT: TREATMENT REVIEW NEEDS TO BE EFFECTIVE

The Department commissions a wide range of services which are available to support people with drug and alcohol issues in their recovery.

A Bradford Council report into community safety revealed last month that the system was not fully effective, with a high proportion of service users, in treatment over a long period of time, continuing to use illicit drugs.

MORE HEALTH HEADLINES

It also found the system did not meet the needs of service users, with a rapidly changing use of alternative substances, such as legal highs and medication obtained over the counter.

The report signalled a full review of drug and alcohol treatment in Bradford, which intended to demonstrate the most cost effective way of delivering treatment, considering the effects on service users.

The consultation is part of that review and aims to consider the views of as many local people as possible.

Ian Wallace, the Council's head of commissioning for substance misuse, said yesterday: "This is an ideal opportunity to review the alcohol and drug misuse system as a whole, and identify areas where there is potential for further improvement.

"Individual services have developed significantly over the past ten years. However, we need to establish whether the overall system for providing support and treatment to those individuals who are affected by substance misuse issues can be even more effective, whilst offering greater value for money.

"It is important that as many people as possible let us know what they think. What people say will help us identify the key issues for those who rely upon the substance misuse recovery system.”

The consultation runs until June 5 and can be found on the "Have My Say” page on Bradford.gov.uk.

It can also be accessed via the HealthyBrad4d Facebook page.

The review has been welcomed by West Yorkshire Police, the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, and Bradford's Bridge Project, which supports those with drug misuse issues.

The Project's chief executive, Jon Royle, said treatment services could be better and the review could show where resources could be more appropriately targeted in the future.