£160m drugs rehab boost

Todd vows to address challenge of an increasingly toxic narcotics supply. Shake-up focuses on tackling the blocked pathways into care for users

- BY MARK MCGIVERN

SCOTLAND'S new National Mission to tackle addiction deaths will roll together alcohol and drug responses in a £160million package.

And there will be a focus on rehab and helping addicts get off drugs.

The Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery strategy was announced yesterday by drugs minister Maree Todd.

It builds on the Scottish Government's existing five-year National Mission on Drugs, which ends next month.

After many years of topping the European drug death charts, ministers are set to plough more cash towards initiatives to stop people from developing problem alcohol and drug use.

It also maintains support for residential rehabilitation and aims to ease "blockages" to treatment which are currently experienced by addicts.

Speaking at the Haven residential rehabilitation service in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, which has received £600,000 for eight additional beds, SNP minister Todd said: "The last five years have seen record investment in alcohol and drugs services, with significant progress, but we want to do more.

"This plan marks the next phase in our response to tackling alcohol and drug harms.We are already widening access to treatment, residential rehabilitation and lifesaving naloxone, and Glasgow hosts the UK's first safer drug consumption facility.

"As we respond to new challenges ~ including an increasingly toxic drugs supply - this plan refocuses our efforts in a more coordinated and sustainable way."

She added: "As a joint Scottish Government and Cosla initiative, this plan will strengthen national and local partnership working so that people can receive the right help when and where they need it."

The plan’s four key planks are prevention, harm reduction, treatment and wider support.

A major thrust of the latest shakeup is improving the blocked pathways into care which has denied many people lifesaving treatment.