26530 - Head of Drug Strategy Unit

Overview of the job

The misuse of drugs in prison is one of the biggest challenges facing our criminal justice system today. Drug misuse is prevalent and contributes to violence, crime and vulnerability within prisons, which threatens safety and the ability of prison staff to deliver effective regimes. We will not be able to improve safety, prevent reoffending and tackle serious and organised crime without reducing the misuse of drugs in prisons. It is a complex, multi-faceted problem with no simple answer – it requires a coordinated effort to limit the supply of drugs both inside and outside prisons, encourage people away from drug misuse towards positive and productive activities, and support those requiring treatment.

The scale of the problem is significant and has become more challenging in recent years. Between 2012/13 and 2017/18, the rate of positive random tests for ‘traditional’ drugs in prisons increased by 50%, from 7% to 10.6%, and drug use in prisons is now widespread, particularly in male local and category C prisons. The emergence of psychoactive substances such as synthetic cannabinoids has exacerbated the problem, and these are often used in conjunction with other drugs, while we remain aware of problems with the diversion and misuse of prescription medication. The prevalence and patterns of drug misuse in prisons is shaped by patterns in the community, and the challenges faced by prisons can be exacerbated when those entering prison have an existing drug misuse issue or when drug misuse has been normalised in the community.

In response, HMPPS has established the Drug Strategy Unit, which this new senior manager post is responsible for. The post holder reports directly to a Deputy Director and will be a member of the Senior Management Team.

The role and Unit is responsible for the delivery of the recently published HMPPS Drug Strategy (“the strategy”) and associated Guidance and Good Practice, ensuring the agency is reducing the level of drug misuse amongst prisoners through a comprehensive range of activity brigaded under each of the three themes of the strategy, which align to the overarching Government Drug Strategy:

1. Restricting Supply;
2. Reducing Demand; and
3. Building Recovery.

The Drugs Strategy Unit is new and there is a significant amount of preexisting HMPPS’ activity under each of the three elements of the strategy,

much of which is currently dispersed across a number of other of other teams, notably SOCT; Safety; and Health, Social care and Substance Misuse Services. MoJ’s policy functions related to drugs in prisons and amongst offenders on probation are as equally dispersed. This requires the post holder to build effective relationships with, and lead the coordination of, colleagues across HMPPS and MoJ to ensure the strategy is delivered. However, consideration is actively being given as to whether the current dispersed arrangements are most effective, or whether more of the existing activity (and staff) should be brigaded together under the leadership of this post. Depending on start date, the post holder may play an active role in those considerations.

The post holder is also responsible for ensuring wider activity within the agency appropriately aligns with the threat posed by drugs in prisons, and that - where those activities seek to tackle an issue that may be caused by drug misuse (e.g. self-harm, debt) – they seek to tackle the cause (drugs) as opposed to solely the effect.

The role is currently based in 102 Petty France (Central London) although may move to Southern House (Croydon). In any event, there is the possibility for regular (but not full-time) home/remote working, and flexible working arrangements. The role will also require some travel to prisons and other regional locations (approx. once a month), with the occasional overnight stay.

Whilst the role is non-operational it is focused on achieving operational improvement in prisons and so requires the post holder to have (or to develop) a good understanding of the operational realities of drug misuse in prisons and the operational context in which the Unit’s activities sit.

Summary  

The role is delivered through:

• Leading a team of (currently) five senior experts with operational prison experience and others seconded in from the Police Service, NHS England and Border Force. This group’s main function is to assess individual prisons’ capability and effectiveness under each of the three elements of the strategy, making recommendations and providing advice and support for improvement. This is delivered largely through undertaking “Drug Diagnostic Visits”. The Police and NHS England secondees are additionally responsible for liaising with their parent agencies at local, regional and national levels to improve their support to HMPPS in delivering the strategy.
• Delivery of key policy initiatives. Current examples of which are the drugs element of the 10 Prisons Project, Incentivised Substance Free Living Areas, X-Ray Body Scanners (roll out and training), the use of drones for perimeter security, improving police visibility of (and resource dedicated to) drugs in prisons, and guidance on tackling impregnated paper.
• Building capability at the regional tier through regular engagement with and support to Regional Drug Strategy Managers (directly and via team members), such that they in turn are best equipped to build capability in their establishments.
• Align the Unit’s support, improvement and assurance functions with other HQ teams providing similar services on other issues. Particularly BDG and OSAG.
• Drawing on all of the Unit’s work, in particular its support to prisons and regional leads, identify and respond to themes, good practice, areas of risk, and opportunities for new/different/joint working.

• Work across HMPPS and MoJ to ensure other initiatives that have a bearing on drugs in prisons are contributing to the delivery of the strategy where appropriate, and reciprocating where there is opportunity for the Unit’s work to contribute to the delivery of other departmental priorities e.g. Crime in Prisons.
• Building relationships with senior stakeholders outside the organisation, such as the Police Service, the Home Office and NHS England, ensuring our priorities are understood and seeking to influence wider government work to the benefit of tackling drugs in prisons.

The job holder will have experience of leading and delivering wide ranging policies and procedures to demonstrably improve outcomes for a complex organisation. This is to be delivered by providing strategic leadership to the Unit to support, challenge and improve the delivery of measurable improvements in outcomes.

Responsibilities,Activities & Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Provide strategic direction and leadership to the Drugs Strategy Unit.
• Accountable for ensuring that existing HMPPS policies and practices related to drugs in prisons remain current and to identify and address areas of weakness, ambiguity or inconsistency.
• Through engagement with the operational line, ensure the Unit seeks to proactively identify areas of good (and poor) practice.
• Identify wider activity within the agency impacting (or with the potential to impact) on drugs in prison. Ensure they have an effective focus on drugs and manage any overlaps.
• Assure HMPPS compliance with legislation, government policy and best practice in relation to drugs in prisons.
• Represent HMPPS in meetings with outside organisations and stakeholders and Other Government Departments.
• Commission legal advice where necessary.
• Accountable for day-to-day advice given by others in Unit – ensure that staff understand the importance of accurate and timely advice and that they are not impinging on the operational decision making.
• Accountable for the various programmes of project work and initiatives within the Unit.
• Accountable for identifying policy design taking into account the strategic priorities of the organisation and/or Ministerial priorities and/or identified threats.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the Job Holder.

Competencies

For the purpose of selection the following competencies will be measured:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Collaborating and Partnering
• Showing Drive and Resilience
• Persuading and Influencing

Essential Skills,Qualifications,accreditation & Registration

To have (or to be able to develop):

• Wide knowledge of the strategic priorities of the organisation.
• A good understanding of the operational realities of drug misuse in prisons and the operational context in which the Unit’s activities sit.

Evidence of political awareness in sensitive areas such as dealing with young people policy, courts & judiciary and rights groups such as Liberty.

Wide-ranging knowledge of policy development procedures within HMPPS and MoJ.

Excellent analytical skills in understanding trends.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Comprehensive knowledge of procedures for working with and briefing Ministers and Parliament