AN MSP has urged Scotland’s biggest city not to drop plans for a legal drug injecting facility rejected by the country’s top prosecutor.
Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership aimed to open the first facility of its kind in the UK to tackle opiate use and a rise in HIV cases. It hoped the centre would be operational in 2018 and bring drug users into a safe space where they could also access treatment and support.
For the initiative to work, Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC would have had to waive the prosecution of people found in possession of street-bought heroin in the vicinity.
However, it is understood that this has been refused in a letter which advises the city council to pursue the provision of heroin-assisted treatment (HAT) through existing legal routes.
The Crown Office said: “The Lord Advocate has considered the proposals and is of the view that the public interest objective is a health rather than justice one.
“Scottish Government health officials will therefore offer to meet with the HSCP to discuss the proposal, its objectives, and how these might best be met.”
While drug legislation is reserved to Westminster, the law already provides for HAT, which sees patients prescribed synthetic heroin as an alternative to methadone treatment.
HSCP officials said the facility was geared towards improving public health and providing “a route to recovery for a group of people often disengaged from support services”.
A total of 90 new HIV cases have been detected amongst those who inject drugs in the city since 2015.
An HSCP spokesman will now “be taking some time” to consider Wolffe’s letter, with a report to follow.
However, LibDem health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “I hope this ruling doesn’t spell the end for this project.
“Safe injecting and heroin-assisted treatment has been proven to dramatically reduce the levels of harm in other countries. Scotland is already well behind international best practice in tackling this. Drugs policy needs to dramatically change if we are to save lives, alleviate the burden on our NHS and free up the justice system to focus on the groups producing and dealing illegal drugs.”
Meanwhile, NHS Grampian has opened a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) service for pregnant women attending antenatal appointments in a Scottish first.
The drop-in sessions began this summer and the health board is now trying to raise awareness and attract more expectant mothers struggling with substance misuse. Those attending the sub-clinic at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital receive ongoing obstetric care and support from a community psychiatric nurse, as well as sessions with NA volunteers.
The health board says the move is not a response to increased need, but an attempt to broaden the support offered to vulnerable women.
Midwifery manager Lynn Cameron said: “We discovered many women who come to this antenatal clinic have no examples of successful recovery in their lives – that’s where NA comes in. The volunteers who run the child-friendly sessions share their personal experience and stories of strength and hope.
“Having NA at the clinic means it’s much easier for our patients to access this support. It also equips them with vital information about where they can go to access help elsewhere in the community.”
An NA volunteer said: “We are delighted to assist any organisation or service to help addicts find recovery and are really pleased with our growing relationship with NHS Grampian.”
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