Over 1 million patients are seen by the National Health Service (NHS) in England every 36 hours. Established in 1948, the NHS covers the health needs of a vast number of people. The range of healthcare provided is vast: from routine screening and antenatal care, to the treatments of long term conditions, emergency treatment and care for those that are dying.
A growing area of expertise within the NHS concerns looking after of drug users. The Department of Health Drug Misuse and Dependence: Guidelines (2007) were drawn up to help doctors and health professionals deal with this important area of clinical care. This document lays out the most important principles behind appropriate care for dug users. The most important concept being that drug users “have the same entitlement as other patients to the services provided by the National Health Service.”
Why does the NHS need to Drug Test patients?
There are three main reasons why the NHS needs to drug test certain people who come under its care.
1. Drug Misuse Treatments.
Many drug misusers have benefited from treatment under the NHS. Successfully treating those that are dependent on drugs has a benefit for the individuals involved, as well as their families and those that live around them. Drug testing is an important part of this process – from assessing a drug user when first seen, to then making sure they do not go back to drugs by providing regular drug tests during the treatment process.
2. High levels of mortality of drug users
The 2007 report highlighted the problem that, under the NHS, too many individuals were still dying whilst being looked after. Most often than not, this was due to overdose or blood related virus infections.
3. The growing problem of drugs for the wider community
Drug taking affects not just an individual but also those around that person, their family and the wider community. Because large numbers of people are affected by drug misuse in the UK, successful treatment of an individual that is dependent on drugs has benefits for all.
Who uses NHS Drug Test Kits?
General practitioners, nurses and pharmacists have all been asked to develop areas of special clinical interest. For many, that area of expertise is drug treatment. The NHS plans to offer local treatment for drug misusers, ranging from those able to offer general medical services, through to those with specialist competencies in treating drug dependence. We supply NHS drug test kits to medical professionals in all of these areas of expertise.
NHS drug test kits are used by a variety of different people and institutions within the healthcare system in addition to healthcare professionals. These consist of:
- Drug Rehabilitation Facilities: These facilities offer comprehensive care and assistance to people who are addicted to drugs. To track their patients’ progress and make sure they are following treatment recommendations, they frequently employ drug test kits.
- Mental Health Professionals: Many mental health people, including psychiatrists and psychologists, closely interact with patients who have co-occurring mental and drug use disorders. To evaluate substance usage patterns and adjust therapy, they may need to use a drug test kit.
- Social Workers: These individuals are essential in offering advocacy and assistance to people in need, particularly those who are struggling with drug abuse. To determine the security of the people they are dealing with and to make the proper referrals for treatment and support programmes, they may call upon drug test kits.
- Law Enforcement: During different police operations, such as roadside drug testing or testing suspects who have been arrested, cops in the will frequently employ drug test kits to find the presence of illicit drugs. This promotes public safety and the enforcement of UK drug legislation.
- Workplace Drug Testing Programmes: To maintain a drug-free workplace, many companies have put in place workplace drug testing programmes. To check for the presence of drugs among employees and prevent substance abuse at work, these programmes may use drug test kits.
- Schools and Educational Institutions: In order to stamp out or deter student substance use, some schools and educational institutions in the UK have developed drug testing programmes. Drug test kits may be used as part of randomised testing methods or to screen kids who may be abusing drugs.
Overall, many parties involved in the support, care, and treatment of people who abuse drugs rely on NHS drug test kits. These kits are essential in a variety of contexts because they support drug monitoring, treatment decision-making, safety, and policy enforcement.
The Importance of Drug Testing in Healthcare
Drug testing plays a vital role in healthcare settings. It assists medical professionals in making informed decisions about patient care, monitoring treatment progress, and promoting public health.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Drug tests help doctors accurately diagnose patients exhibiting symptoms of intoxication or withdrawal. They also guide treatment plans for those with substance use disorders. For example, tests can:
- Determine which substances a patient has used recently to cause observed symptoms
- Indicate whether replacement therapy is suitable for those physically dependent
- Assess effectiveness of medications used to manage addiction
Patient Monitoring
Repeated drug testing allows providers to monitor patients in their care. Outpatient programs require users to take routine urine or saliva tests to show they remain substance-free. For those on opioid replacement therapy, tests confirm they properly take their prescribed medications. Monitoring patient substance use supports recovery and prevents relapse.
Protection of High-Risk Groups
Healthcare workers get regularly screened to ensure they abstain from non-medical drug use. Tests aim to identify risks that could impact job performance and patient safety. Random employee testing additionally deters illicit use. Institutions also test susceptible populations, including youths and pregnant women, to intervene with support services if needed.
Public Health Surveillance
Wider community health impacts of drugs necessitate population-level monitoring. Data gathered from testing feeds into public health surveillance systems tracking local and national substance misuse trends. Test results provide officials reliable statistics on usage patterns to inform policies and resource allocation. For example, tests indicating increased use can trigger targeted education programs.
In summary, drug testing grants clinicians and public health authorities the information they require to make the best decisions around substance use problems. Test findings guide patient care planning, treatment program monitoring, high-risk group protection, and population-level monitoring and policy. Reliable testing measures prove critical for addressing drug issues facing the healthcare sector.
Zoom Testing is a supplier of NHS Drug Test Kits
Zoom Testing is an established supplier of NHS Drug Test Kits. First line drug testing is becoming more and more important in the NHS. In order to reliably test individuals for drugs of abuse, high-quality, reliable drug tests are required and Zoom Testing is proud to be able to offer a wide range of urine and saliva on-site drug testing kits to NHS trusts, GP’s and other government institutions.
From our central warehouse in Nottinghamshire, we can quickly supply NHS drug test kits throughout the UK. We offer a range of approved NHS drug test kits that have a long shelf life and we can offer the complete range of drug testing equipment and accessories. From single parameter tests, right up to 12 drug test kits, we have a product for every application. We are also experts in the field of urine and saliva drug testing technology.
NHS Discounts
Because we already supply the NHS, we can offer the best prices to all of our partners for approved, NHS drug test kits and other medical equipment. With constant pressure on budgets, Zoom Testing can also advise on how you can make your money go a bit further, offering saving solutions that do not compromise on standards or accuracy. In most cases, if you are already buying NHS drug test kits, elsewhere, we can male you a competitive offer that will be quite attractive!
How to order NHS Drug Test Kits
If you are an NHS establishment or similar, then ordering through Zoom Testing is simple and easy. We accept NHS Purchase orders for drug testing kits and will gladly open an immediate 30 day account on receipt of an official purchase order.
Simply send the purchase order to us via email using the address nhs@zoomtesting.co.uk. We try to keep most of our drug testing kits in stock, so your order will be dispatched to you within 24 hours in normal circumstances.
NHS Drug Test Kits can also be ordered on our website using a debit or credit card. In order to obtain wholesale prices, please contact us before ordering in order to receive a special NHS discount code.
If you require further information on urine and saliva drug test kits that are suitable for NHS use, please contact us. We can offer sample tests for you to evaluate and our bulk volume and wholesale discount mean that we should be able to match, or better your current supplier.
Other public bodies and charities
In addition to accepting NHS purchases , we also accept purchase orders from: schools, colleges, universities, museums, PLCs and charities.
Photo: “NHS Doctor” by Anthony Cunningham for Zoom Testing
Zoom Testing is a leading UK drug testing company and a supplier of Drug Test Kits.
