What is Janus?

Janus is a database designed to meet the needs of drug and alcohol treatment providers. It was developed by a partnership between Phoenix Futures and an independent software company. It runs in 31 services across England and Scotland.

How does it work?

Janus is an SQL based database with a split front end and back end (think of it like a shop with a showroom and warehouse). The split front and back end means that:

• Updating the database is easy – no need to copy lots of data across, simply put the new janus.exe front end into the correct folder

• Data cannot be lost – because it is in the back end, it is almost impossible for data to be lost or corrupted.

Janus has its own Admin Tool, which controls:

• Services – easy to add new services if you expand or win new business

• Staff users – easy to add, change, and ensure people have rights to the correct areas and facilities on the database

• Many of the menus – instead of waiting for any software developer to update their system, you can control many of the menus yourself

• Other useful tools – for example, the ability to merge duplicate clients together

NDTMS

Janus is listed as an NDTMS supplier on the NDTMS website, and has been tested by NDTMS for compliance with Core Data Set F and Core Data Set G. Emails confirming compliance are available on request.

Why the name Janus?

Janus was the Roman god of beginnings, endings, and doorways. This is where we get the name of our month January, the gateway to the new year. We named our database Janus to reflect the fact that it is recording new starts in peoples' lives.

How much does it cost?

We operate a flexible pricing structure, based on the needs of your organisation, the complexity of your structure, and the support you would need. If you give us a call, then we would be happy to give you a quote.

Who can I contact to talk about it more?

Dan Richter, Head of Quality and Performance (Phoenix Futures)
Telephone: 020 7234 9755 or
e-mail: dan.richter@phoenix-futures.org.uk