§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many patients(a) are awaiting treatment and (b) have had to wait for treatment at the Kevin White centre in Merseyside in the last year; and how long the waiting period is on average in each case. [64616]
535W
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthFigures are not available on the numbers waiting for treatment (or the average waiting time of each case) at the Kevin White centre for 2000–01.
The following figures provide an illustration of current access to the unit:
during April and May 2002 a total of 42 people were admitted into the Kevin White Unit;of the 18 people who entered treatment in May 2002, 15 had been waiting less than two months, with only three waiting between three and five months.The Government set up the National Treatment Agency last year with the objective of increasing the capacity, quality and effectiveness of drug treatment in England. Since then the NTA has:
established waiting time targets for drug treatment;piloted a co-ordinated system of treatment delivery in eight areas (this aims to integrate all support services); and promoted the shared-care approach to enable GPs to work more effectively with specialist services and drug users in their areas.In June 2002, the NTA issued its third paper providing national guidance to Drug Action teams, commissioners and service providers on managing and reducing waiting times for specialist drug treatment.