Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership (EADP) oversees the development and implementation of an alcohol and drug strategy for the city. It is a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, the third sector and those with lived experience of addiction and recovery. It is the forum where these organisations work together to make Edinburgh a city which has a healthy attitude towards drinking and where recovery from problem alcohol or drug use is a reality.
The EADP strategy 2025-28 was developed in 2023-24 . The strategy aligns with that of the Scottish Government and local need and has been developed through an extensive process of co-production including:.
- An initial Stakeholder Event
- Focus groups with Parental Advocacy and Rights and other organisations providing to children, young people and families affected by substance use.
- Feasibility studies for Safer Drug Consumption Facilities and Drug Testing included interviews with 39 people with lived experience and 9 family members.
- Experiential interviews with 47 people with lived and living experience and 5 Family/ nominated persons
- An On line survey
- Focus groups with 116 people
- A large stakeholder event in March 2024 to reflect on what was learned and refine our priorities.
The strategy is based on 6 Principles:
- Surveillance and Data Informed
- Resilient and Skilled Workforce
- Psychologically Informed
- Lived and Living Experience at the heart
- Equalities and human rights
- Tackling Stigma
And 6 priorities, which are:
- Reduce the number of people who develop problems with drug and alcohol misuse
- Reduce the risk of harm for people who use alcohol and drugs
- Offer people at the most risk access to treatment and recovery
- Ensure that people with alcohol and drug problems receive high quality treatment and recovery services
- Improve people’s quality of life by addressing multiple disadvantages
- Support children, families and communities affected by substance misuse
The strategy was agreed by the EADP Executive following its meeting in December 2024.
The previous strategic plan can be found here: EADP Strategic Plan 2021-2024 An Integrated impact assessment of the predicted effects or impacts of the plan on meeting the public sector equality duties to: eliminate discrimination. promote equality of opportunity can be found here: IIA – copy 7
Putting lived experience at the heart of decision EADP decision-making
Along with many other bodies and organisations in the area of drug and alcohol use, the ADP has a longstanding commitment to making peoples lived and living experience of drug and alcohol use the central guide to its decision making. In common with most of those other bodies, the ADP cannot claim to have fully achieved that goal but has made some good progress.
In February 2024, the EADP Executive agreed a programme with the ambition that: families and people with lived or living experience are at the heart of the development and delivery of services.
in 2024-25. the programme includee six workstreams:
- Lived-and-Living experience panel (working title): this will be a representative community panel, supported by an employed facilitator with a core steering group and links to the wider recovery community. A feasibility study, including development of a local model was undertaken in 2023-24 by EVOC. In 2024-25 procurement of the proposed model was begun and a contract for facilitating this work is expected to be awarded in June 2025.
- Edinburgh Living experience panel: A regular community panel, facilitated by a national organisation (Scottish Drugs Forum) aiming to engage those still in active drug and alcohol use and to capture their experience and needs. The Panel has now been in operation for over a year and its concerns have been being conveyed to a range of decision makers. These views are expressed to a steering group (with membership including managers and planners from housing, treatment and support services) and by invitations to meet the panel – several senior managers have attended meetings. The group has also been consulted on issues such as drug testing and coke clinic. The interagency working has been a great success with other providers such as CGL and TPS supporting the process.
- MAT experiential data gathering process: this is a rolling programme of interviews undertaken BY people with lived experience who work in services WITH people who use the service. They are part of the evaluation evidence for the MAT standards and informed the co-production work on the EADP strategy. In 2024-25, 28 interviews were undertaken with people who have themselves used treatment services and a further 11 interviews with the loved ones of people who have. The findings of these interviews inform improvement plans for individual services.
- Ellipsis: The narrative change programme where there was collection and analysing people’s stories which will generate new insights to directly influence and change health and social care for people in Edinburgh which was commissioned is now complete. A report has been compiled in March 2025 and Ellipse are to attend the Collaborative and Executive Meetings in June 2025. The report highlights clear models of good practice; around sober drinking spaces and peer involvement all low -level support which people were of the opinion assisted them in their recovery.
- Independent Collective advocacy: The Patients Council have attended several meetings of the executive to advocate for the voice of those they speak to.
- Other ADP processes: More general consultation and co-production exercises. This year, these included,
- co-production of EADP strategy (participants in all aspects of which had lived experience of their own or other’s use and specific ad hoc activities (e.g. all commissioning activities include L/LE representation).
- Drug Checking services: – substantial stakeholder engagement was carried out on a proposed Drug Checking Service. Feedback was collected 56 people who use services during February 2025.
- There were also a focus group run by Public Health and Justice to look at BBV testing in the prison. Participants welcomed the opportunity to be able to comment on the service and gave rich information to inform planning.
The EADP executive oversees this programme of work and receives regular reports on progress.
In addition, involvement of people with lived experience of addiction and recovery is central to delivery of services: Workers with lived experience of substnace use and recovery are part of delivery in most treatment settings and an increasing proportion of htre workforce are openly in recovery. Where this is (appropriately) shared it can have a significant impact on how patients respond to support. It also influences the culture and insight of the system as a whole. If you are interested in getting involved or finding out more please use the contact form.
Prior to the current programme, the EADP followed a previous framework for involving people with lived experience “Hear Our Voice“.
