by BILL HEANEY
Dumbarton’s Reform Party MSP David Smith has asked the Scottish Government, “in light of its commitment to a 16 per cent increase in residential rehab bed capacity,” why the policy was not included in the SNP Programme for Government.
“We continue to focus on increasing access to residential rehabilitation and wider treatment services through investment, service improvement and a rights-based approach, rather than by creating a new statutory right to a specific form of treatment.”
Drugs Minister Maree Todd and Dumbarton man David Smith, Reform Party MSP.
David Smith replied: “The drug deaths figures that were released yesterday demonstrate that the approach taken by the minister to drugs policy is not working.
“Even more concerning was the response from the minister to members’ questions yesterday in the chamber. She stated that nobody had died inside the Thistle safer drugs consumption facility.
“If that was not health misinformation, it was certainly grossly misleading. Will the minister confirm, for the record, that there was, in fact, a death directly outside the centre in March this year?
“Will the minister go further? Even the term ‘safer drugs consumption’ is grossly misleading. Will she state for the record that there is no such thing as safer drugs, because there are no safe drugs?”
Maree Todd told him: “It is a matter of public record that an individual died outside the Thistle, pictured right, in March this year. The heartfelt condolences of everyone in the chamber go out to his family and his community, who will be mourning him, as we look at the figures of last year’s deaths.“On the question that the member asked me, he is absolutely correct that there is no such thing as safe drug consumption. The focus of the Thistle is on safer drug consumption; it is about harm reduction.
“When we consider the number of deaths that we face in Scotland, we must redouble our efforts to stop deaths, as well as ensuring that we have strong pathways into treatment and recovery. We need to do all those things, not just one of them.”
He added: “I am aware that there are some residential rehabilitation centres where beds are lying empty. What engagement has the minister had with local councils to encourage them to engage with organisations such as Abbeycare and Jericho to ensure that such facilities are fully utilised?
“I have been repeatedly informed by various organisations that many local authorities continue to underspend their alcohol and drug recovery services budget.”
“We continue to engage with local services to ensure that residential rehabilitation is available to those for whom it is deemed clinically appropriate. To support more people to access residential rehab, we have made an additional £2 million available through the additional placement fund.
“The Scottish Government recognises that a diversity of treatment options is important to empower individuals to have more choice and to meet the needs of individuals who seek different types of recovery.
“That alone should be the driving factor in matching an individual with a treatment provider.”
I suspect David Smith would like to be Dumbarton”s MSP but Dame Jackie has that slot. David is a regional list MSP for the West of Scotland
Drugs and alcohol are a huge problem across Scotland. But there is money, big money in booze and drugs and use of both is now embedded in our culture.
Changing the culture, or should it be prevention better than cure, very much seems the way to go. A bit like addressing aspiration which is an absolute key to learning and training.
Key issues that need to be addressed. The devastation of drink, drugs and lack of aspiration and ambition are all too clearly to see.