Pubdate: Sat, 22 Dec 2001 Source: Edinburgh Evening News (UK) Copyright: 2001 The Scotsman Publications Ltd Contact: http://www.edinburghnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1626 Author: Mark Smith Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) GP SAYS DRUG USERS WILL DIE AT CHRISTMAS A LEADING city GP today warned drug users were likely to die while waiting for help over Christmas and New Year because waiting lists for specialist services were effectively "closed". Drug services in Edinburgh are buckling under the strain of 50 new referrals each day and those expecting vital help over the festive period face waits of up to three months. Dr Roy Robertson, whose Muirhouse practice deals with 400 registered heroin users, said the waiting list for the community drug problem service is "as good as closed". Lothian Primary Care Trust, which runs the service, admitted addicts were facing a longer wait than they normally would over the holiday period, but denied that meant the waiting list for services was closed. However, Dr Robertson insisted the situation meant many of his patients would be unable to get treatment they needed over the coming weeks, instead facing three-month waits for vital services. He said: "We are faced with a catastrophe. These are the most difficult patients and the service is unavailable at the most critical time. We are skating on thin ice as it is. "These are not people who can afford to wait, there are people who are injecting heroin. The fact is that this service is just untenable. It is not working and the management of it is not adequate. The fact is that my patients are not being seen. "I feel we neglect the drug-using patients terribly. They are being put at risk of HIV infection, hepatitis C and other dangers. There will be deaths over the holiday period, there always are. "The way we prevent deaths is to get people into treatment and we are not able to do that." Dr Robertson who is a member of the national advisory council on misuse of drugs and was at the forefront of HIV research in the 1980s, said with the drugs service under severe pressure and day services for the alcohol dependency service closed over Christmas, the most vulnerable people are not receiving the level of care they need on time. Dr Robertson has written to new Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm to voice his concerns. SNP health spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon has also spoke out on the problems facing Edinburgh's drug referral system. She said: "To all intents and purposes the waiting list is closed, regardless of what the trust is saying or what technical term they use for it. "The bottom line is that patients are being denied treatment and that is what concerns me about all of these instances of closed waiting lists or lists that are so lengthy referrals are being put back. This is a problem that spreads right across Scotland into different specialities and the one thing in common is that patients are being denied treatment on the health service." David Piggot, chief executive of the trust, denied that the waiting list for new referrals was now closed. He said: "What GPs are being informed of is that there will be a longer wait than normal for patients being seen. That is not closed to new referrals. "The issue we have been in touch with GPs over is the community drug problem service, which has experienced a high level of referrals and what we are doing just now is discussing with Lothian Health through the drug action teams how we might be able to get further resources into that service." The Trust said the number of referrals has more than doubled since 1993 and the active case-load is 1500 patients. It insisted psychiatric services are always available for people who need specialist treatment for alcohol or drug problems. A Scottish Executive spokesman also denied that lists were closed, saying: "It is not a closed waiting list. The trust has confirmed that, although unfortunately, there will be a longer waiting time for drug users in the New Year in Edinburgh." - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl