Drug use and austerity (v2)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Drug use and austerity: Exploring the impact of the recession and government austerity measures on illicit drug use and the availability of drug rehabilitation services.
IRAS ID
179189
Contact name
William Floodgate
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Title: Drug use and austerity: Exploring the impact of the recession and government austerity measures on illicit drug use and the availability of drug rehabilitation services.\n\nThere is currently a lack of empirical research that examines the impact of the 2008 economic recession on problematic drug use in the UK. There is also a lack of research exploring the impact of the move to Public Health England (PHE) - which has occurred alongside on-going government austerity measures - on drug treatment services. This qualitative research aims to fill these gaps in existing knowledge. \nResearch aims:\n1. To discover how the economic recession of 2008 is impacting on drug use and drug-using practices within two local authorities (LA) in the north of England. \n2. To understand the changes being made to drug services in the two LAs as a result of the move to PHE and the wide-ranging public service reforms.\n3. To explore how the drug services in each LA have been able to adapt to any cuts to funding that they might have experienced as a result of on-going government austerity measures. \nParticipants included in this research:\n- Individuals involved in the commissioning and delivery of drug services within the two LAs; \n- Drug service managers and workers from each LA; \n- Drug service users from each LA.\nThe research methods employed are qualitative and include:\n- One-to-one interviews with service commissioners, service staff and service users;\n- Group interviews with service users;\n- Participant observation within the two drug treatment services.\nThis research benefits service commissioners, service staff and service users, as it can help to identify new or emerging patterns of drug use within the LAs, and can draw attention to any positive or negative consequences of the move to PHE and the on-going government austerity measures.\n
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0599
Date of REC Opinion
9 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion