Pandemic support for substance abusers a good start for reform

Leader of review impressed with how quickly drug addicts were protected

The rapid support given to drug addicts during the pandemic proves there is no excuse for delays to reform, an expert has claimed.

Dr Robert Peat, who led an independent review of Dundee’s drug services, said he was impressed at how quickly vulnerable substance abusers were protected from the risk of Covid-19 in March.

Officials feared any outbreak among the city’s drug users and homeless people could have been devastating.

Dr Peat, who chaired the review body the Dundee Drugs Commission, pinpointed efforts to deliver methadone to those recovering from heroin addiction as a shining example of what can be done.

He had previously said some key recommendations, such as putting in place same-day prescriptions for opioid substitution therapy (OST), had been unnecessarily delayed.

He said: “It shows how quickly changes can be made when it is deemed absolutely necessary.

“As we have said before, we felt there was maybe a lack of an immediate response after we published our recommendations.

“We are hearing our health services will be very different after the pandemic – the so-called new normal.

“I hope things like this can be sustained into the future and proactive outreach will continue.

“Drug service users are very vulnerable and it’s important they have been protected.”

Other key recommendations included a commitment to respond to all near-fatal overdoses within 72 hours and a further rollout of training in the use of anti-overdose drug Naloxone.

The commission has not been able to meet to assess progress on these matters within NHS Tayside and Dundee City Council services for a number of months.

It means a promised review scheduled for this year will likely be pushed back to 2021.

Publication of the latest annual drug death statistics, expected to increase for the seventh consecutive year in Dundee, has also been delayed due to ongoing issues with toxicology tests.

“Drug service users are very vulnerable and it’s important they have been protected. DR ROBERT PEAT

Picture: Mhairi Edwards. Members of the Dundee Drugs Commission with chairman Robert Peat.