Tackling the harms associated with substance misuse continues to be a key priority for the Welsh Government, Health Minister, Mark Drakeford explained in a conference to 150 key stakeholders in Swansea.
Substance misuse has an impact on people of all ages, from all parts of Wales, which in turn affects their families and the wider community as a whole.
“Working Together to Reduce Harm” sets out the Welsh Government’s 10-year strategy for tackling the harms associated with substance misuse in Wales. It is supported by a detailed delivery plan for 2013-15 which explains how the Welsh Government, with its partners, will implement the actions contained within the strategy.
The delivery plan includes the recently launched recovery framework which provides guidance to those who commission and provide services and for service users. It aims to embed the culture of recovery into treatment services, aid cultural change and help us monitor the effectiveness of recovery-oriented and integrated care to improve outcomes for this vulnerable group.
The recovery framework is an excellent example of co-production with service users and is underpinned by partnership working across agencies. This collaborative approach has ensured the voices of those who deliver and access services in Wales have genuinely shaped the framework.
Welsh Government Health Minister Mark Drakeford said:
“The recovery approach considers the individual in a holistic way and relies upon building strengths and assets, both for the individual’s journey and to ensure services meet individual needs.
“It is a broad and complex journey that individuals must take at their own pace. It remains something which can never be done to or for someone else.
“Prevention of substance misuse-related harm also continues to be a major strand of our work. Our aim is to ensure people in Wales are aware of the dangers and the impact of substance misuse to enable them to take responsibility for their own actions and make informed choices and to know where they can seek out help and support.”
