News
Drug Matters: Drugs Matter Campaign
Success!
10th January 2008
From left to right: Maggie Telger OBE, BDP Director, Kerry McCarthy MP for Bristol East, Dawn Primarolo, Minister for Public Health and Bristol South MP and Leona Briggs. BDP Trustee and Osborne Clarke Partner
There was great news at our event held on 10 January, to update our supporters about the progress of our campaign to get a fairer share of government health funding for drug treatment for Bristol and the South West. We found ourselves not able just to report progress but to announce success, as the government health funding allocation for drug treatment for the next 3 years was announced earlier that day. We were particularly pleased that Dawn Primarolo, Minister for Public Health and Bristol South MP was there for the announcement.
Maggie Telfer OBE, Director of BDP said “the announcement is very good news for Bristol – with an increase of over £3m in the period 2008/09 to 2010/11, as the National Treatment Agency re-distributes current funding in England to achieve the same per capita investment of £1,440 for every individual in treatment, regardless of where they live. It is also extremely good news for the other 11 areas of the South West, who like Bristol, have suffered from the previous formula-based allocation. Overall, it will bring around £6m of additional monies to the South West Region. Of course actual allocations in each of the 3 years will be based on performance but the re-distribution of funding means at last that investment will relate directly to need and activity. Success indeed!”
Our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported Bristol Drugs Project’s campaign to get a fairer share of government health funding for Bristol and the South West, particularly our local MPs, and especially Kerry McCarthy MP for Bristol East who sponsored our House of Commons reception in October. Finally special thanks to Osborne Clarke, who generously hosted our meeting of 10th January where we were able to inform supporters of the positive outcome of our Drug Matters:Drugs Matter campaign.
Thank you
Read about the reception at The House of Commons on the 29th October.
John Prior, BDP Chair, speaking at the event on the 10th January