Middlesbrough’s HAT is the UK’s first Heroin Assisted Treatment programme.
It is a medical treatment for people with long-term dependency on heroin, who have not responded to traditional drug treatments such as methadone in the past.
People taking part in HAT tend to place a disproportionate strain on health, criminal justice and other public services – at significant cost to those funding them.
Working with partners in public health, prison, probation, police and drug treatment services, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner launched HAT Middlesbrough in October 2019.
Aims of the Scheme
HAT fits the Police and Crime Commissioner’s objective to tackle offending and re-offending. It aims to:
- Reduce the number of deaths caused by heroin addiction;
- Promote independence, long-term recovery and end offending behaviour;
- Provide respite for local residents and businesses, who often find themselves victims of crime to fund addiction;
- Remove the health risks associated with street heroin and drug litter;
- Free up substantial public resources, including health and police, currently dealing with the problem;
- Cut off funding streams to drugs gangs.
Leaflet – What is Heroin Assisted Treatment? (application, 2MB)
Success of HAT
- 12 people have taken part in the programme
- Their quality of life has improved by 200%
- Participants’ use of illegal opiods has reduced by almost 98%
- Overall substance use has gone down by 48%
- Attendance rates at the programme are running at 98%
Offending data for participants on HAT – November 2020 (application, 23kB)