Home Office domestic controlled drug premises licences are issued by the Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU) to organisations for activities at individual premises in Great Britain. Licences are valid for a period of one year from the date of issue.

Organisations wishing to provide Heroin Assisted Treatment (HAT), also referred to as Diamorphine Assisted Treatment, may also provide other treatment programmes involving controlled drugs, and in such cases they would apply for one licence for that premises for all services rather than a specific licence solely for HAT provision. Aggregate data on the number of each type of service expected to be delivered under Home Office licences issued is not routinely collected.

The below data provide estimates based on internal management information which has not been subject to quality assurance or audit, and therefore can only provide an indication of the numbers of licences where a HAT service is provided.

An indication of the number of licences including a HAT service, issued from 6 December 2018, up to and including 5 December 2023, is as follows:

2019-2

2020-1

2021-3

2022-3

2023- 2

Diamorphine Assisted Treatment (DAT) is an option that remains open to local areas under the existing legal framework, and we support those areas who pursue this approach, where the relevant licences are obtained from the Home Office. DAT is aimed at those who are already engaging with treatment but are not responding to opioid substitution therapy.

Evidence supporting the value of targeted injectable opioid treatment (“IOT”) programmes, including heroin/diamorphine assisted treatment (“DAT”), in both the UK and other countries has been published and informed the UK clinical guidelines for drug misuse and dependence, as well as guidance on commissioning and developing IOT services.

There is mixed evidence for the effectiveness of DAT in tackling drug-related crime compared with other forms of opioid substitution therapy. However, the crime reduction benefits of effective drug treatment, including IOT, is well documented and investing in improved capacity and quality of drug treatment services is an important part of the Government’s approach to reduce drug-related crime as is set out in the Drug Strategy.

Heroin Assisted Treatment (HAT) or Diamorphine Assisted Treatment (DAT) is a clinical intervention supported by the 2017 United Kingdom-wide drug treatment guidelines. Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services, including whether to commission HAT services within its resources for drug treatment funding. The Government supports areas which pursue HAT, where the relevant licences are obtained from the Home Office and in 2021, the former Public Health England provided additional guidance on commissioning and developing a HAT service.

The 10-year drug strategy is supported by £780 million, including £532 million for local authorities to invest in treatment and recovery services, in addition to the Public Health Grant. This allows local authorities to determine which interventions will complement existing treatments. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities provides oversight of local delivery and monitors implementation against the aims of the drug strategy.

Heroin assisted treatment (HAT) or diamorphine assisted treatment (DAT) is a clinical intervention supported by the 2017 United Kingdom-wide drug treatment guidelines. Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services, including whether to commission HAT services. Local authorities’ individual financial allocations and assessments of local need will determine if HAT is a viable intervention. The Government supports areas which pursue HAT where the relevant licences are obtained from the Home Office. In 2021, the former Public Health England provided additional guidance on commissioning and developing a HAT service if local authorities choose this approach.

The 10-year drug strategy is supported by a new investment of £780 million, including £532 million for local authorities to invest in treatment and recovery services in addition to the Public Health Grant. This allows local authorities to determine which interventions could augment current treatment systems. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities provides oversight of local delivery and continues to monitor implementation against the aims of the drug strategy.

There is evidence from the UK and other countries that supervised injections of diamorphine in a medical environment as part of a structured treatment plan can assist in keeping patients in treatment and out of criminal behaviour, leading to a reduction in drug-related crime. The Government supports local authorities that choose to commission DAT as part of their drug treatment services, providing the relevant licences are obtained from the Home Office.

Our 10-year Drug Strategy sets out three core priorities for tackling drug misuse: cutting off drug supply, creating a world class treatment and recovery system and achieving a generational shift in the demand for drugs. It is underpinned by an investment of nearly £900 million in additional funding, including a record £780 million of new investment in drug treatment and recovery services across England.

As set out in our ten-year Strategy, this Government is committed to a whole-system approach to tackling drugs which gives people with an addiction access to treatment to assist recovery. The safety and wellbeing of patients receiving treatment is our top priority. Middlesbrough Council has assured us that all patients transitioning from Diamorphine/Heroin Assisted Treatment, following the local authority’s decision to close this service, have received bespoke transition planning to maintain safety and appropriate care.

Through Project ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery) we have provided £4.58m in funding to Middlesborough between 2020-2023 to drive a one-system approach to tackling drugs. The Project ADDER approach brings together co-ordinated law enforcement activity, diversionary programmes and enhanced treatment and recovery provisions. Local funding decisions for the provision of treatment and recovery services are made by the local authority.

The Department is aware of ongoing supply issues resulting in intermittent availability of diamorphine injections, due to manufacturing issues. Further supplies of diamorphine injections are expected to be available in June. The Department continues to work closely with all suppliers and the National Health Service to maintain supply to patients who require it. The Department has communicated this issue to the NHS, advising the need to move to alternative opioids where diamorphine is currently used.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

The issue of ‘prescriber’ licences was devolved to the Scottish Ministers in 2012. The timeline for a decision on any prescriber licence or any conditions to be assigned to that licence are matters for Scottish Government.

Any controlled drugs licenses required by the organisation at a specific premises to possess and supply controlled drugs are a matter for the Home Office.

All ‘premises’ licence applications- which are considered by the Home Office and, if granted, would allow a specific organisation to possess controlled drugs at a specific address- are considered individually on their merits. We expect to reach a decision on the premises licence application early this year.

The Government supports local areas that prescribe diamorphine as part of a treatment plan for those with a chronic heroin addiction. Prescription of diamorphine is a clinical decision and is permitted through Home Office licenced premises. An application to licence premises, for this purpose, is currently being considered.

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The Department has not received any queries on behalf of general practitioners about diamorphine supplies. However, we are aware that supply issues do occasionally occur with prescription drugs. The Department works closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England, clinical experts, and others operating in the supply chain to help prevent shortages and to ensure that the impact on patients is minimised when they do arise.

There are no such dispensing practices in Greater Manchester.

In general, dispensing doctors, as well as community pharmacies, can dispense prescriptions for diamorphine, including those in the Greater Manchester area. Only those on the pharmaceutical list can do so under National Health Service pharmaceutical services. However, under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1997, if the diamorphine is for addiction the prescribing general practitioner and the dispensing doctor must hold a special licence issued by the Home Secretary.