Target of 21 days set to help drug addicts

Published on Friday 13 November 2009 20:18

DRUG addicts who need help should receive treatment within three weeks, under new targets announced yesterday.

The latest health performance targets set by the Scottish Government include a commitment to ensuring that by March 2013, 90 per cent of those who need treatment for a drug problem will wait no more than 21 days.

And a similar target for those who need help for a drink problem will come into force the following year.

The latest "Heat" health targets also include a commitment to deliver faster access to specialist child and adolescent mental health services.

At present there is no maximum waiting time for access to these services, but by March 2013 patients will have to wait no longer than 26 weeks.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "Ensuring patients always get the best possible care is the top priority for the NHS in Scotland and Heat targets are a valuable way to make sure this happens.

She added: "I am pleased that we are now able to introduce waiting time pledges for both specialist mental health services for young people and drug treatment services. This will, I am sure, improve the quality of lives for many people.

"We've already achieved major improvements in healthcare in recent years including cutting waiting times and reducing hospital infections.

Official statistics released in September showed that the number of drug users waiting more than a year before they were assessed for treatment had dropped, butat the end of June, 11 per cent of 1,969 addicts were still waiting after 52 weeks.