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Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards

Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership is committed to preventing and reducing drug related deaths. The road to reducing drug related deaths is rocky and twisting but is one we must persevere on if we are to go any way towards making Highland and Scotland a safe and happy place to live for everybody.

Unfortunately, drug deaths continue to rise within our communities. We believe it is vital we adapt and evolve our current systems using compassion, kindness, respect and dignity. For families, with years of experience of supporting their loved ones, removing barriers and ensuring equality of access, choice and support across all treatment and care in all areas of Highland and Scotland is essential.

HADP is committed to embedding the MAT Standards. They are an integral part in challenging all services to strive for excellence and provide high quality care. HADP aims to achieve a robust Recovery Oriented System of Care (ROSC) where people should expect to receive good quality, person centred care, immediately (if required) with supports into other services and opportunities for challenge and growth.

Summary of the Standards

1. All people accessing services have the option to start MAT from the same day of presentation.
2. All people are supported to make an informed choice on what medication to use for MAT, and the appropriate dose.
3. All people at high risk of drug-related harm are proactively identified and offered support to commence or continue MAT.
4. All people are offered evidence based harm reduction at the point of MAT delivery.
5. All people will receive support to remain in treatment for as long as requested.
6. The system that provides MAT is psychologically informed (tier 1); routinely delivers evidence-based low intensity psychosocial interventions (tier 2); and supports individuals to grow social networks.
7. All people have the option of MAT shared with Primary Care.
8. All people have access to independent advocacy and support for housing, welfare and income needs.
9. All people with co-occurring drug use and mental health difficulties can receive mental health care at the point of MAT delivery.
10. All people receive trauma informed care.

Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/medication-assisted-treatment-mat-standards-scotland-access-choice-support/pages/3/

For all additional information on the MAT Standards, please visit Medication Assisted Treatment for Scotland. Access, Choice, Support

Progress on the implementation can be found in the national benchmarking reports

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