Integrated Drug Treatment System in prisons (IDTS)

The Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) aims to provide better and effective drug treatment in prison, principally by improved clinical treatment, in particular the provision of national standard stabilisation, detoxification and substitute  opioid prescribing programmes;greater integration of clinical and CARAT (Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare) psychosocial services, with the objective of creating multi-disciplinary teams that can provide the full range of treatment choices according to need; improved integration with all prison interventions including offender management, education and training, work and resettlement; strengthened links between drug treatment in prisons and community services, including Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), Criminal Justice Integrated Teams (CJITs), Offender Managers and drug treatment providers, to support and facilitate continuity of care.

The Department of Health has been providing significant funding to nominated prisons in yearly roll outs since 2006 to enhance clinical services, and intends all prisons to be delivering IDTS-standard services by 2011. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has also provided some additional funding with the aim of allowing CARAT teams to give extra psychosocial support, particularly during the vulnerable first 28 days of custody.

The core members of the national IDTS Programme Board are senior representatives of Department of Health (DH) Offender Health, NOMS/Ministry of Justice, HM Prison Service Interventions Group, National Treatment Agency (NTA) and Home Office.  The Board is served by the national project manager.

The National Treatment Agency has corporate responsibility for oversight of regional implementation and delivery arrangements. In conjunction with DH Offender Health, it is also jointly accountable nationally for the central support and direction of the programme.

In London, enhanced IDTS funding has been given to HMP Belmarsh, Brixton, Pentonville and Wormwood Scrubs.

There is an IDTS regional development manager based in or working closely with each regional NTA team.  For London please contact Michele Kemp on michele.kemp@nta-nhs.org.uk or 07881 828 078.

IDTS weblink: http://www.nta.nhs.uk/areas/criminal_justice/integrated_drug_treatment_system_in_prisons(IDTS).aspx