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Integrated Care for drug users: Principles and practice

Appendix 7 STRADA - Scottish training on drugs and alcohol

The STRADA Partnership

The partnership is between the University of Glasgow and DrugScope. The University is represented by the Centre for Drug Misuse Research and the Department of Adult and Continuing Education.

The joint aims are to:

• ensure that the competence of the professional staff addressing drug and alcohol misuse is raised throughout Scotland
• ensure that interventions to address drug and alcohol misuse are based on the evidence of what works

The objectives are to:

• embed the training provided in national and UK wide recognised frameworks of competence
• integrate information, research policy and practice development activities with training delivery throughout Scotland
• ensure that the training activities are underpinned by the research and evidence base in Scotland and, where relevant, from the rest of the UK, Europe and internationally
• ensure that the training activity utilises the resources of the partnership, in order to support the Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems and the National Drugs Strategy

Training portfolio

• A basic, introductory module of 2 days inter-disciplinary training for frontline staff, based on Drug and Alcohol Action Team Areas
• Supplementary, optional specialist one or two day modules - delivered on an interdisciplinary basis, or where appropriate to single or discrete professional groups
• A one-year post- graduate Management Certificate qualification for those managing alcohol and drug services
• A one year post- graduate Certificate qualification in Addictions
• A leadership programme for DAT/AAT members

Regional Training Programme Content

• A number of key specialist modules were identified for development within the first year's implementation, based upon current policy and legislative emphases.
• A Training Needs Analysis, conducted in the autumn of 2001, has informed the development of the next tranche of modules, being developed for presentation from November 2002.
• Further modules will be developed based on policy priorities and training need, in 2003.

Current modules

• Knowing Where to Start - 2 day introductory
• Fatal and non Fatal overdose and drug-related death - 1 day
• Blood borne Viruses - 2 day
• Drugs, Alcohol and Young People - 1 day
• Drugs, Alcohol and Housing - 1 day
• Children and Families Affected by Drug and Alcohol Misuse - 2 day

Modules in development

• Mental Health and Dual Diagnosis - 2 day
• Psychostimulant Use - I day introductory (to be complemented by further modules)
• Research into Practice - 1 day
• Working with Black and Ethnic Minority Communities - 2 day
• Drugs, Alcohol and Women - 2 day
• Training for Trainers - 3 days spread over a number of months

Further Modular Development

This will include:

• Employability - moving drug and alcohol service users into employment.
• Assessment and Care Management
• Drugs, Alcohol and the Criminal Justice System
• Drugs, Alcohol and Crime

Certificate in Addictions

This is a post-qualifying course at post-graduate level that is designed to develop, enhance and refine participants' practical skills and knowledge in the substance misuse field, as well as explore further attitudes, which facilitate effective person-centred services.

The three components of the programme will include:

• Understanding substance misuse
• Assessment and Brief Intervention
• Interventions

The Certificate will begin its presentations in September 2002.

Developing Competence in Managing Addiction Services

This course is being developed in partnership with the University Of Glasgow Business School and will be ready for presentation in October 2002.

Leadership Programme

The programme will focus on partnership planning a leadership within the substance misuse field, paying attention to responsibilities and accountability at local and national level. Customised programmes agreed at ADAT/DAT level will be available from autumn 2002.

Evaluation of the STRADA Programme and its Delivery

The evaluation strategy for the service has two aims:

• To evaluate the extent to which a training event has achieved its learning outcomes
• The extent to which practice has changed following training.

A variety of different evaluation tools, including questionnaire; practice scenario and telephone interview follow-up will inform the evaluation process. It is anticipated that both course participants and managers will be involved in this exercise, where appropriate. In addition, other data will be collected about the participant's career history including professional background, current job remit. This will permit reporting on the take-up of training by targeting professional groups, and will provide indicators for future targeting.

Evidence of evaluation exercises will be reported to course boards, which will meet on an annual basis to review the specific training interventions. The board will consist of:

• Course students
• Employer organisations
• Representatives of relevant professional bodies
• Representatives from relevant departments of the Scottish Executive

Regular reporting mechanisms on evaluation and review of the service as a whole have been developed with the Scottish Executive. These include the quantitative and qualitative data analysis on service review as well as financial performance indicators.

The STRADA partnership reports regularly to an Advisory Group set up by the Scottish Executive

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