on seizing the moment when people are ready and motivated to change and engage with treatment. Delay can mean that the opportunity for progress is lost.
It is hoped that the findings from this study can help to inform a number of policy developments already in train in Scotland in the coming period, including the recently published ‘refresh’ of the Drug and Alcohol Strategy, and reviews of Youth Justice and wider justice policy, and of mental health services. We also hope that it may contribute to review of the Scottish Government’s Performance Framework and key outcome indicators contained therein.
We believe that fuller use and value could be derived from a number of the data systems and surveys operated in Scotland, to better inform policy awareness and effectiveness evaluation, through the use of data linkage. However, our experience on this project, and recent experience of other colleagues working in this field, indicate that there are significant ‘data governance’ barriers currently preventing this which Government and other key stakeholders should endeavour to address as a matter of priority.
