Through conducting research, Figure 8 is able to help services and commissioners review the evidence about 'what works' in a particular situation or environment.   Providing an objective audit of current practice allows services to measure their activity against the evidence of good practice. These approaches help ensure that new and existing services are based on effective interventions.  Figure 8 has assisted services to conduct, collate and analyse projects such as service user satisfaction and training needs analysis.

One of the key outcomes set out in the new drug strategy action plan (The Road to Recovery, Scottish Government, 2008) is to have a 'strengthened evidence base which improves policy and practice at national and local level'. This policy direction emphasises our key mission statement of 'Evidence into Practice'. Figure 8 believes that the policy and planning cycle of government and commissioning bodies requires to inform, and be informed by, the practice and audit cycle of service providers in a continuous figure 8.

Research and audit projects we have undertaken include:

• Substance Misuse Needs Assessment (East Dunbartonshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership)
• Health Needs Assessment of the Scottish Borders Offender Population (Borders Alcohol & Drug Partnership)
• Homelessness and Substance Misuse Needs Assessment (Edinburgh Drug and Alcohol Partnership)
• Needs Assessment of Drug and Alcohol Problems in Edinburgh City (Edinburgh Drug and Alcohol Partnership)
• Research for Recovery: A Review of the Drugs Evidence Base (Scottish Government, conducted in partnership with the University of West of Scotland)
• Reducing Drug Users’ Risk of Overdose (Scottish Government, conducted in partnership with Scottish Drugs Forum)
• Review of the Implementation of the SIGN 74 and the HTA on the Prevention of Relapse in Alcohol Dependence (NHS Health Scotland)
• Review of the Implementation of Alcohol Brief Interventions in Primary Care in Glasgow (Glasgow Addiction Service)
• Scottish Alcohol Needs Assessment (SAADAT, conducted in partnership with Institute of Psychiatry, St George’s University of London)
• Substance Misuse Needs Assessment in Lothians (MELDAP and WLDAP)
• Smoking and Violence against Women Service Provision in West Lothian - supplementary report to Substance Misuse Needs Assessment (West Lothian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Partnership)
• Needs Assessment and Mapping of Specialist Services in the Scottish Borders (Borders DAP)
• Evaluation of Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (NHS Lothian)
• Evaluation of Dundee Peer Education Project (Dundee City Council)
• Youth Alcohol Consultation (Dundee Community Safety Partnership)
• Literature Review of Effective Interventions for Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco Use (West Lothian DAAT)
• Phoenix Futures Scottish Adult National Residential Service: Stakeholder Analysis (Phoenix Futures)
• English Adult and Family Residential Service: Literature Review and Stakeholder Analysis (Phoenix Futures)

For more information about any of these projects, please contact the Figure 8 team.