Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 6.2 of the Government response to the Fifty-fourth report of Session 2022-23 from the Committee of Public Accounts on Alcohol treatment services, HC 1001, published on 21 July 2023, when she plans to publish (a) phase 1 of the national drug and alcohol treatment and recovery capability framework and (b) a workforce calculator.

The substance misuse workforce strategic plan will outline the actions needed in the next year, next three years, next five years and next 10 years to build back quality in the drug and alcohol workforce and develop a sustainable pipeline into the sector. It will be underpinned by a capability framework, which will provide new guidance on the knowledge and skills required for core roles amongst the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce. It is being designed to be used alongside a newly developed workforce calculator.

There has been extensive engagement with the sector on the development of these products. The first part of the capability framework will be published by December 2023 and will be followed by the strategic plan. The workforce calculator is due to be published in spring 2024.