Disclosure Log

Higher Risk Individuals Identified as Using Drugs (FOI/8518)

Message from Nottinghamshire County Council - 22 September 2026

Dear,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REFERENCE FOI/8518

Thank you for your request for information relating to Higher Risk Individuals Identified as Using Drugs

1 – The number of individuals identified as drinking at increasing or higher risk levels (e.g. via AUDIT/AUDIT-C screening), or as using illicit drugs or misusing prescription medication at a problematic level, whether or not they went on to access structured treatment.
We do not hold this information. Any identification of individuals as drinking at increasing or higher risk levels (for example, through AUDIT or AUDIT-C screening), or as using illicit drugs or misusing prescription medication at a problematic level, would typically be recorded by the service providing assessment or support, such as a GP practice, mental health service, or other healthcare provider. This information is not routinely shared with Nottinghamshire County Council or with Change Grow Live (CGL), the commissioned treatment and recovery service.
As a result, we do not hold data on the number of individuals identified in this way who did not subsequently access structured treatment.

2 - Of those individuals identified in point 1, the number referred into commissioned drug and alcohol treatment services, broken down by referral source (e.g. self-referral, GP, A&E, criminal justice/probation, mental health services, other).
 Please see below
Referral source2023/242024/252025/26
Adult mental health services377359450
Adult social care services84129148
Adult treatment provider124168148
Arrest Referral9712790
ATR**6
Children and family services1575787
Domestic abuse service6108
DRR050
Employer0**
Employment/education service242926
GP288318416
Hospital647722947
Hospital alcohol care team/liaison nurse163177407
Housing/homelessness service191162137
Liaison and Diversion172854
Other302206251
Outreach*150
Pharmacy0*0
Prison85133159
Probation Service328361283
Relative/peer/concerned other142152139
Self253224762466
Self-referred via health professional181827
Syringe exchange9700
Young people's structured treatment provider**0
* = numbers suppressed due to being <5   

3 - Of those identified but not referred, or referred but not engaged, the number and reason recorded (e.g. declined, did not attend, below treatment threshold, no service offered).
Identified but not referred: We do not hold this information. As outlined in our response to Question 1, information relating to individuals who are identified but not referred for treatment is held, if at all, by the organisation carrying out the assessment and is not routinely shared with Nottinghamshire County Council or Change Grow Live (CGL).
Referred but not engaged: Please see the table below, which provides the number of individuals referred but not engaged and the recorded reason where available.
 2023/242024/252025/26
Number that did not move on to structured treatment, but received brief intervention work383421517
Number that did not move on to structured treatment and did not accept/receive brief intervention work176221942602
Reasons for not moving on to structured treatment:   
Client did not engage/dropped out/died174119872371
Client was discharged from hospital before ward assessment could take place**--83
Inappropriate referral141738
Client transferred before engaged*18095
Client went to prison before engaged*1015
* = numbers suppressed due to being <5   
** This was only recorded as a separate outcome from 2025/26   

4 - Average waiting time from referral to first treatment contact.
Please see below
 Average wait from referral to first treatment contact
2023/246.15 days
2024/257.34 days
2025/267.53 days

5 - Details of any digital health, cessation, or harm reduction app or self-management tool currently commissioned for addiction, substance use, gambling, or wellbeing support — including the product/provider name, contract value, contract length, and cost per head or per user licence, where not commercially sensitive.
Change Grow Live (CGL) provides access to Breaking Free Online as part of its service delivery. This is not commissioned under a separate contract by Nottinghamshire County Council, and no separate contract value, contract length, or licence cost is held.

We trust this now satisfies your request and that you find this information to be helpful.

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your freedom of information request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Requests should be submitted within 40 working days of the date of receipt of this email and should be addressed to: Complaints and Information Team, Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP or [email protected] .

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF or https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/foi-and-eir-complaints/

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Most of the information that we provide in response to freedom of information requests will be subject to copyright protection.  In most cases the copyright will be owned by Nottinghamshire County Council.  The copyright in other information may be owned by another person or organisation, and this will be indicated on the information itself.

You are free to use any information supplied to you for non-commercial research or private study purposes.  The information may also be used for any other purpose allowed by a limitation or exception in copyright law, such as news reporting.  However, any other type of re-use, for example by publishing the information in analogue form, including on the internet, will require permission of the copyright owner.

For information where the copyright is owned by Nottinghamshire County Council details of the conditions on re-use can be found on our website at https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/global-content/copyright.

Your privacy: we use your personal information such as name and address so that we can comply with our legal obligations to respond to FOI requests.  For further details about the use of information about you, please see the information handling privacy notice on our website at https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/media/4323566/informationgovernanceandinformationrightsprivacynotice.pdf

Yours sincerely

Complaints and Information Team
Chief Executives Department
Nottinghamshire County Council