£789k announced to improve drug and alcohol addiction treatment in Rochdale

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The Rochdale borough is set to receive almost £800k for drug and alcohol treatment

The borough of Rochdale has been announced as being part of the first 50 local authorities with the ‘highest level of need’ to receive enhanced funding to tackle the local drug and alcohol treatment crisis.

The borough is set to receive £732,900 in its drug strategy allocation, plus an additional £59,209 to fund inpatient detoxification, from the government’s Department of Health and Social Care.

Rochdale is among the first wave of 50 local authorities receiving enhanced funding based on its ‘high level of need’, decided based on the local drug death rate, deprivation, opiate and crack cocaine prevalence and crime rates.

Another 50 local authorities will be selected for 2023/24 and the final, less-urgent areas in 2024/25.

The breakdown of funding was announced last month by Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid, as part of a £780m national investment over three years.

The Health Secretary said: “This is a significant step in our commitment to rebuild the drug treatment system, save lives and level up the country.

“We’re investing a record amount in treatment services and ensuring some of the most deprived areas in England are first in line for this funding, to support those most vulnerable by cutting drug use.”

Councillor Daalat Ali, cabinet member for health at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “We welcome any injection of funding into our health work. This money will allow us to continue a successful programme we were already funded for, as well as develop new areas of work on this key health issue. We’ve submitted robust plans to the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities for how we will use this money, which we hope to have approved soon.”

All local authorities in England will eventually receive additional funding as part of the drugs strategy’s £780m investment.