A visit to Byelorus

Abstract

a sound basis for the aggregation or comparison of regional data. However, the Department of Health in conjunction with the National Forum on Drug Data has decided that implementation of the DMDs throughout the various regions is now consistent enough to warrant publication of the figures submitted for the six months ending 31 March 1993. Data are currently collected from the majority of specialist drug units, both statutory and non-statutory, throughout the country. However, many drug users are seen within general psychi atric settings, and it is therefore vitally important to the validity of the DMDs that data are collected from general psychiatrists. Within the general psychiatric unit, the volume of data to be collected will be less than within the specialist unit and therefore less time con suming. However, the fact that data need to be gathered only from those patients who misuse drugs means that the task is easily forgotten. The form itself consists of one side of A4, with tick-boxes for most items: the majority of doctors who have had experience in completing the form agree that it takes around five minutes. A few regions provide software for data-entry and report-generation on site, while in the majority of regions these functions are performed centrally and specific reports generated on request to the database manager. The notification form also provides the means of meeting the doctors' obli