Report Summary
This report provides members of the Forensic Services Committee with an overview of the Drug Driving Update.
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Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Forensic Services Committee - 6 August
Date : 06 August 2024
Location : Online
Criminal Toxicology – Improvement Plan
Anticipating the revision to the six-month statutory time limit later this year the refreshed Toxicology Improvement Plan (Version 3) has refocused a range of activity to deliver the following outcomes.
- Optimisation of the Section 4 analysis process to enable delivery within 90 days in line with Section 5A timescale.
- Increased internal capacity of 270 cases by year end.
This will be achieved by a range of work to further develop technical processes and to validate and utilise new instrumentation which is focused on building increased capacity within the laboratory and streamlining the analysis of Section 4 cases. In addition, a focused plan of training and development for staff is under way which ensures that new staff joining the team are trained appropriately and swiftly as well as developing existing staff skills particularly to increase the capacity available to complete the complex reporting part of the process which has been a bottleneck.
The improvement plan is tracking to schedule with the internal capacity increasing as expected on a rolling average basis.
