Over £80,000 of taxpayers’ funds have been utilized to hire taxis for the transportation of drug addicts to an NHS clinic where they receive “free” heroin injections. The clinic, which cost £4 million, caters to individuals with “chaotic” lifestyles and aims to address the drug problems they face. These recent figures have incited anger, particularly in light of Scotland’s alarming drug death rate, which is the highest in Europe. The NHS, already grappling with a crisis due to escalating waiting lists, has come under scrutiny for enabling addicts rather than promoting personal responsibility.
Annemarie Ward, an anti-drugs campaigner and advocate for human rights through FAVOR UK, criticized the state for supporting addicts and fostering their dependency rather than encouraging them to take control of their own lives. This type of assistance can be viewed as a form of unhealthy co-dependence, especially considering that rehab facilities would be a more cost-effective solution compared to funding heroin-assisted treatment.
Reports suggest that some patients are being collected from places like pubs instead of their own residences, further highlighting the failure of the clinic to restore stability in these individuals’ lives. The purpose of the clinic is to offer heroin to those whose addictions have reached an advanced stage where methadone has proven ineffective.
The Enhanced Drug Treatment Service (EDTS), which the clinic provides, has seen participation from only 24 individuals thus far. Since its inception, there have been 26 reported cases of overdoses, and 12 patients have been referred to other support services. The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), responsible for operating the EDTS, revealed that it has spent £80,027 on taxi services for patients since 2019. These taxi trips are arranged and agreed upon on an individual basis for a temporary period to help individuals engage with the necessary services.
The EDTS administers pharmaceutical-grade heroin under medical supervision in an effort to eliminate the use of deadly street heroin. NHSGGC previously disclosed that the scheme, since its launch in 2019 until the end of the previous year, has cost a total of £3,966,001, with 24 individuals receiving treatment. The health board also reported that individuals who completed a year of treatment experienced significantly fewer overdoses compared to the preceding year, demonstrating the effectiveness of monitored treatment at the EDTS.
Scottish Conservative drugs spokesperson Sue Webber expressed the belief that there are better ways to spend nearly six-figure sums in assisting individuals struggling with addiction to transform their lives. Webber advocated for the endorsement of the Scottish Conservatives’ Right to Recovery Bill, which would ensure access to treatment for those battling addiction.
Scotland’s drug death crisis was deemed a “national emergency” in July of last year when official figures revealed an average of four deaths per day. The Scottish Government maintains that there is substantial evidence supporting the effectiveness of heroin-assisted treatment, as it reduces the use of street drugs and improves treatment retention rates.
An NHSGGC spokesperson clarified that taxis are provided for service users across all Glasgow alcohol and drug recovery services, including the EDTS, and that the expenses are budgeted accordingly. The costs for taxi services increased during 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which necessitated face-to-face assessments, reviews, and interventions. However, the figures from 2022 show a decrease of over 88% in spending compared to 2020.
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