Perth and Kinross Alcohol and Drug Partnership Strategic Delivery Plan 2024-27

The recurring budget and expenditure plan for Perth and Kinross Alcohol and Drug Services, including the Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) is outlined in Table 1 below.

Table 1

The Core budgets for Alcohol and Drug Services include funding, either in whole or in part, for the following services :- 

• Integrated Drug and Alcohol Recovery Team (IDART)
• 3^rd Sector Funding
• Change is a Must within Education and Children's Services
• Prison Healthcare
• Public Health Support
• Psychology Support

The Reducing Drug Death/National Missions budget of £557k funds the expansion of the workforce within IDART, Education and Children Services, 3^rd Sector funding and Psychology support as well as a residential rehabilitation budget which provides improved access to residential rehabilitation.

The Programme for Government allocation funds, either in whole or in part: recurring posts within IDART; 3^rd Sector Funding; Prison Healthcare and Public Health Support. 

The Stabilisation Fund funds the expansion of assertive outreach work and the expansion of the workforce within IDART.

The MAT Standards allocation funds the multi-disciplinary workforce within PKC, IDART and Public Health to allow implementation of the standards.

The ringfenced funding streams discussed above included back-dated uplifts during 2023/24. This funds cost of living increases for 2022/23 and 2023/24.

In addition to the recurring budget detailed above, the IJB (Integration Authority Joint Board) holds reserves on behalf of the Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) as detailed in Table 2 below.

Table 2

Perth and Kinross ADP has a reserve that has accumulated, over several years, from in year underspend against core budget.  This has been protected and transferred into a reserve for future expenditure.  In addition, slippage accumulation on Scottish Government funding for reduction in drug deaths and to implement MAT standards remains within the reserve.  Funding was allocated for a whole financial year and accumulated slippage whilst plans were developed, and recruitment progressed. The slippage in expenditure has been transferred into the reserve to support future service delivery.

The non-recurring funding is being used to meet short term needs, however there may be ongoing pressures that will need to be included in future financial planning

ADP Funding Context

Since 2018 the Scottish Government has increased the level of funding available to ADPs through several ring-fenced funds which are non-recurring (temporary) in nature. This increased the resources available for drug and alcohol services but has also created a situation of financial uncertainty where partnerships have made financial commitments but rely on an annual funding allocation process. As at May 2024 the level of funding available for 2024/25 has not yet been confirmed. The result of this is financial risk to ADPs and HSCPs, when investing the ring-fenced, non-recurring funding partnerships have had to consider the impact of potential future funding reductions. The current challenges to public sector budgets hinder the ability of HSCP partners to further invest in drug and alcohol services. Because of this it is considered likely that the ADP financial position will become more difficult in the medium term.