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sociology and medicine.
The membership of this Sub-Committee is
not soundly based for the tasks it is required to undertake in as
much as it lacks personnel with a professional background of research
work, except for a representative of the Census and Statistics
Department, and is composed in the main of comparative laymen in
this important sphere of activity. There appears to be a case for
reconstituting this Committee and for directional review. See also proposals below for laying on the Director of Medical and Health firm responsibility for research (paragraph 32.)
17.
The Treatment and Rehabilitation Sub-Committee has been
one of the most active over the years having convened 72 times since 1965. On average it meets once per month. The impact of its work has made most impression upon S.A.R.D.A., the D.P.A.S. and the Voluntary Agencies concerned with the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts as opposed to the Prisons Department which has developed its own programmes more or less independently. The dividing line between research and treatment and rehabilitation being finely drawn in some instances, there has been a tendency
for this Sub-Committee to become involved in matters which more
properly should have fallen to the Research Sub-Committee, perhaps
⚫n account of its more forceful and interested leadership. The future role of this Sub-Committee and its membership should be
considered against the background of the future role of a Drug Addiction Treatment and Research Division of the Medical and Health Department whose establishment is recommended in paragraphs 32
and 33 below.
18.
The Working Party on Narcotics publications, an offshoot
of the Treatment and Rehabilitation Sub-Committee, first met in April 1970 and altogether has held 13 meetings, the last one being in December 1971. It produced a manual in October 1971 aimed at obtaining standardized information about drug addicts in recognised treatment centres, a project which should have been undertaken by the Research Sub-Committee having regard to what was involved in its production. This Working Party to a large extent duplicates the Research Sub-Committee and is unnecessary.
dissolved.
It should be
CONFIDENTIAL
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