As noted previously Collective Voice strongly welcomes Dame Carol Black’s Independent Review of Drugs and its call for increased funding. In conversation with some colleagues we have noted confusion as to the headline amount called for by the author. We offer a short clarification below.
The report notes the current baseline spend from the Public Health Grant (PHG) stands at £680m. Dame Carol recommends yearly totals of additional spend as noted below, rising from £119 million in year 1 to £552 million in year 5. Separate, additional monies from the Department of Work and Pensions are recommended to fund employment support.
| Baseline PHG spend (£m) | Additional treatment funding (£m) | Additional DWP funding for employment support (£m) | |
| Year 1 | 680 | 119 | 6.2 |
| Year 2 | 680 | 231 | 11.4 |
| Year 3 | 680 | 396 | 16.5 |
| Year 4 | 680 | 484 | 15.9 |
| Year 5 | 680 | 552 | 15.1 |
| Total | New money over five years: | 1,782 | 65 |
Read Part Two of the Independent Review of Drugs, Collective Voice’s joint response with Adfam, the NHS APA and the ESUCG, and our recent blog on what we think should come next following the Government’s initial response to the Black Review.
Related Content
Surviving the intersections between music and drug use
“If recovery is the mountain, music is the view from it, and the rhythm of your steps” Watch the trailer for Surviving Earth Sophie Wilsdon,
Collective Voice publishes new resources to improve access and outcomes in residential treatment
If we could sum up the recommendations of this paper in one phrase, it would be to ensure that residential provision is an accessible option
New Collective Voice resources to help improve access and outcomes in residential treatment
We have provided these resources in a range of formats (image files, PDFs, PowerPoint), to ensure they can be used in a range of settings.
