National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse

The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) is a special health authority within the NHS, established by Government in 2001 to improve the availability, capacity and effectiveness of treatment for drug misuse in England.Treatment reduces the harms caused by drug misuse to individuals, public health, and community safety. The Home Office estimates that there are approximately 332,000 problem drug misusers in England.The NTA has achieved the Department of Health’s targets to:double the number of people in treatment between 1998 and 2008 increase the percentage of those successfully completing or appropriately continuing treatment year on year. It is now in the front-line of a cross-Government drive to reduce the harm caused by drugs. Among the indicators that make up this new target will be a new measurement of the number of people in effective treatment. Our task is to improve the quality of treatment in order to maximize the benefit to individuals, families and communities.The NTA works in partnership with national, regional and local agencies to:ensure the efficient use of public funding to support effective, appropriate and accessible local services promote evidence-based and coordinated practice, by distilling and disseminating best practice improve performance by developing standards for treatment, promoting user and carer involvement, and expanding and developing the drug treatment workforce monitor and develop the effectiveness of treatment. The NTA will be judged against its ability to deliver better treatment and better treatment outcomes for the diverse range of people who need it.