DRUG treatment in Suffolk has today been described as “fair” by national watchdogs.In a review by the Healthcare Commission and the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, Suffolk's Primary Care Trusts, Drug Action Team and Mental Health Partnership Trust were all ruled satisfactory in their delivery of drug treatment services.

DRUG treatment in Suffolk has today been described as “fair” by national watchdogs.

In a review by the Healthcare Commission and the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, Suffolk's Primary Care Trusts, Drug Action Team and Mental Health Partnership Trust were all ruled satisfactory in their delivery of drug treatment services.

Joanna Spicer, Suffolk County Council's portfolio holder for public protection, said: “It's good to have a review like this to show where we are doing well, and where there are areas that need improvement.

“We were rated as excellent for our care planning and assessment of clients. However, we scored less well in the area of community prescribing.

“This is why we are working closely with our partners in health to improve this - particularly to support GPs in the best practice of prescribing drugs substitutes for clients.”

The joint review assessed performance against national standards and looked at whether services prescribe drugs safely and appropriately, as well as plan treatment and coordinate services well.

It covered 149 drug action teams (DATs), all 56 mental health trusts and 303 primary care trusts.

Nationally 71 per cent of DATs were rated as “fair”, 23pc “good”, five per cent as “excellent” and one per cent as “weak”.

The majority of PCTs and mental health trusts were also ranked “fair.”