Tories pledge a ‘legal right’ to drug rehab services for users
A right to access residential rehabilitation services in law, so drug users can no longer be denied treatment, will be brought before the Scottish Parliament within the first week of the new term, Douglas Ross has announced.
The Scottish Conservatives leader said every drug user who wants help should have access to the treatment they need and his party would “enshrine the right in law”.
Mr Ross joined the addiction charity Faces and Voices of Recovery (Favor) Scotland to pledge a "right to rehab", which would also see national standards and referral guidance to increase the accessibility of rehabilitation programmes.
The right would also require dedicated government funding to "bypass the broken system" of Scotland's 31 Alcohol and Drug Partnerships, he said.
The number of drugs-related deaths in Scotland increased again in 2019, for the sixth year running, to more than 1,200 people – the highest number since records began. Scotland also has the highest rate of drug deaths of all EU countries and 3.5 times the rate of the UK as a whole.
Charitieshavesaidthedeaths are preventable and unacceptable.
During the latest TV leaders’ debate, Nicola Sturgeon admitted she took her
“eye off the ball” in tackling the problem.
Mr Ross said: "Tackling drug deaths has not been a priority and that has to change now. Too many lives have already been lost.
"We will seek to enshrine a right to rehab in law to make sure that everyone who wants help gets access to the treatment they need, accompanied by a central fund to bypass the broken system.”
The Scottish Tory leader announced the pledge alongside Favor Scotland chief executive Annemarie Ward who said: "The situation on the ground is getting worse. Drug death numbers undoubtedly will rise.
"This is yet another heartbreaking year for the recovery and treatment community. We are told funding is coming, but it is not reaching the frontline. The current system is broken.
"A postcode lottery has developed and unbelievably, it is people in the hardest hit areas – particularly in Glasgow – who are still being denied access to treatment.”
She added: “It is not only a problem with residential rehabilitation. We have advocated for a young man in Edinburgh who has waited eight weeks for a methadone script. Who knows how long it will be before he is referred to rehabilitation.
"Denying access to a viable treatment option, particularly when it is refused purely because someone has been prescribed a higher dose of methadone, is a cruel and short-sighted approach."
The charity has been calling for donations to help pay for legal challenges in court for cases where addicts are denied access to rehabilitation or drug treatment.
Ms Ward said: "We have sought counsel and, if we can raise the funds, we hope to mount legal challenges every time someone is denied access to rehabilitation services or delayed access to other substance use treatment.
"We have a problem in Scotland that is not being tackled and Favor will work with anyone and everyone to force change and save lives."
SNP drugs minister Angela Constance said they have committed £250 million to address the "preventable tragedy" of Scotland's drug deaths crisis, with £100m for residential rehabilitation places “for everyone who wants one” if considered clinically appropriate.
She added: "Our central goal is to support more people into treatment that is right for them on an ask once, get help fast basis. We remain fully committed to introducing medically safe consumption facilities and other evidenceled interventions to reduce harm and promote recovery.
"The Tories have not identified funding or outlined an overallplanforchangeonhow we tackle this."
Meanwhile, the Scottish Greens yesterday said artists should be allowed to occupy empty spaces on high streets in a bid to reinvigorate them.
In the past year, Scotland's high streets have been hit with months of closures of nonessential stores as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, while the long-term decline due to the rise of online retail had been ongoing for years.
But Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie has said changes to planning policies put forwardbyhispartycouldprovide a boost.
Using "local place plans", the Greens hope disused shops could be turned into artist-led spaces such as studios, cinemas, workshops or venues.
He said: "Even before the pandemic hit Scotland, many high streets had far too many empty units as more and more shopping was done online.
"We need to rethink our town centres, so they become attractive places, and artists can play a huge role in a green recovery.
"As Covid restrictions ease and we get a chance to get together again there will be huge appetite for gigs and galleries.
"A green recovery means moving on from a broken economy that left whole communities behind."