FOI 2026/1692

Questions:

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Salford studying Journalism with Public Relations. My final-year project topic is on the issues faced by homeless people in Manchester.

I had an interview with a few sources, and I was told that there are not enough rehabilitation services and time provided to homeless people to help reduce or stop their drug addictions.

Could you please provide evidence to support or refute this, such as records of the amount of rehabilitation services that homeless people receive? Many thanks!

Request for Clarity 8 April 2026:

I write in response to your Freedom of Information request, received by NHS Greater Manchester today.

Unfortunately, it is not clear from the request, what information you would like to receive.

In line with the Freedom of Information Act, section 45 Code of Practice, paragraphs 2.8 and 2.9, I would, therefore, be grateful if you could clarify the following to allow us to provide you with the correct information:

You have explained in your request that your “final-year project topic is on the issues faced by homeless people in Manchester” and that you “had an interview with a few sources, and I was told that there are not enough rehabilitation services and time provided to homeless people to help reduce or stop their drug addictions. Could you please provide evidence to support or refute this, such as records of the amount of rehabilitation services that homeless people receive?”

1. Please provide your definition of “drug addiction”.
2. Please clarify if you are wanting to receive a list of the drug rehabilitation services available to homeless people.
3. Please confirm if you are wanting to receive information relating to the Manchester locality only, or if you request relates to Greater Manchester as a whole (Bolton, Bury, Heywood Middleton and Rochdale, Manchester, Oldham, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan).
4. Please confirm the period that you are wanting to receive information about, for example for the period of 2024 – 2025 or 2025 – 2026?

I am sorry we are unable to help you currently, and I do look forward to receiving your response, so that we can action your request.

Clarity Received 8 April 2026:

1. From my understanding, drug addiction is a disorder characterized by a compulsive pattern of seeking and taking drugs despite harmful consequences.
2. Yes, I am asking for a list please
3. Just Manchester locality is okay please
4. From 2020 – 2026 is fine please

Request for Further Clarity 8 April 2026:

Thank you for your email and the further information that you have provided.

Please can I ask that you also clarify:

1. “From my understanding, drug addiction is a disorder characterized by a compulsive pattern of seeking and taking drugs despite harmful consequences”. – please can you confirm if your definition would also include alcohol addiction?
2. Time period – I would like to explain that NHS GM was established on 1 July 2022 following the merger of the 10 former Clinical Commissioning Groups. Please can you confirm if you are happy to receive information relating to these services held by NHS GM from establishment to date?

I look forward to receiving your response, so that we can action your request.

Response to Request for Further Clarity:

1. Yes please, it includes that.
2. Yes, from establishment to today is fine please.

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.

NHS Greater Manchester has considered your request for information relating to drug and alcohol rehabilitation services for people experiencing homelessness within Manchester.

Drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation services, including those for people experiencing homelessness, are commissioned and delivered by local authority public health services. In Manchester, this responsibility sits with Manchester City Council.

As such, NHS Greater Manchester does not hold a comprehensive list of drug and alcohol rehabilitation services available to people experiencing homelessness, nor do we routinely hold data on the amount of rehabilitation services accessed by this specific cohort.

NHS Greater Manchester does commission mental health services, which may provide support to individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use needs. However, these services are not commissioned specifically as drug and alcohol rehabilitation services, and we do not hold information in the format requested regarding rehabilitation provision for homeless populations.

For the information you are seeking, we recommend contacting Manchester City Council, who are the lead commissioner for drug and alcohol services in Manchester. They will be best placed to provide details of available services and any associated data.

Contact details for Manchester City Council can be found at:
https://www.manchester.gov.uk