Care Planning and Care Co-ordination are the processes by which people with drug and alcohol related difficulties will be helped in an integrated and systematic way to deal with and overcome these difficulties. Care Planning reaches across the continuum of care and helping provision and will promote systematic working across boundaries between agencies and workers.

The overarching principle of Care Planning and Care Co-ordination is that those who enter into structured drug and alcohol treatment services receive a written care plan which is agreed with the client and is subject to regular review with the Key Worker or Care Coordinator. People with drug or alcohol problems who meet the criteria for Care Co-ordination should have access to a named person who acts as their Care Coordinator to ensure that the care provided by different services or individuals is co-ordinated by one person to provide a comprehensive and integrated approach.

Care Planning and Care Co-ordination should not be seen as a bureaucratic burden. They represent an essential step towards empowering service users to fully participate in their care and place certain basic information physically in their hands.

Treatment may be provided by a range of professionals and from more than one service at the same time or consecutively.