For immediate release: Tuesday 20th March 2012
DrugScope and eATA, the two leading charities representing the UK drug and alcohol treatment sector have announced plans to merge.
Announcing the planned merger, Steve Cooke, Chair of the eATA Board of Trustees said:
“We are immensely proud of the role eATA and our members have played in ensuring that people with substance dependencies get access to high quality treatment they need, when they need it. In the current economic environment there is considerable pressure on the ability of second-tier organisations to provide an effective voice and also increasing appetite within the sector for a consolidation of membership and representative bodies. By joining forces with DrugScope we can create an even stronger voice for the whole sector while maximising cost efficiencies and long term sustainability.
“Subject to eATA member approval, we look forward to working with DrugScope to ensure that the voice of residential rehabilitation services continues to be heard in achieving the goal of a truly integrated and balanced treatment and recovery oriented system.”
Welcoming the planned merger Edwin Richards, Chair of the DrugScope Board of Trustees, said:
“DrugScope’s overarching aim is to support a strong and collaborative drug and alcohol sector. We have over 400 members representing a broad range of drug and alcohol organisations, including many residential rehabilitation providers as well as community-based treatment and prevention services. At a time of significant change and uncertainty for the sector as a whole, particularly with the introduction next year of the new public health service, a united membership voice is as vital as ever. A merger of eATA into DrugScope will build on the enormous progress the drug sector has made in working more effectively and collaboratively together.
“Over the next few weeks we will be working with eATA to determine how its work can most effectively be taken forward in the immediate and longer-term. We are looking forward to welcoming two of the current eATA trustees on to the DrugScope Board as part of this process.”
As part of the planned merger process, eATA will be holding an Extraordinary General Meeting of its members in April. The organisation plans to cease trading as a separate charity from 31st March, with a view to its membership and support role being incorporated within DrugScope.
Founded in 1992, eATA has been an influential membership and representative body for addiction treatment providers, particularly those of residential rehabilitation services.
In recent months, eATA has been working closely with the Recovery Partnership (DrugScope, the Recovery Group UK and the Substance Misuse Skills Consortium) through an ‘Expert Group’ on residential rehabilitation. In the last three years, eATA has also worked in partnership with DrugScope as part of the Drug Sector Partnership (Adfam, the Alliance, DrugScope and eATA), including production of a ‘Drug Treatment Consensus Statement’ supported by over 80 drug and alcohol treatment organisations.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Drugscope media enquiries:
Ruth Goldsmith (ruthg@drugscope.org.uk), t: 020 7520 7559, m: 07736 895 563
eATA CEO:
Colin Wilkie-Jones (colinwj@eata.org.uk), t: 020 7820 8130, m: 07747 841
