Warning over cuts to drug clinics

TREATMENT services for heroin addicts face “assassination” under planned HSE cuts, specialist doctors have claimed.

General Practitioners Specialising in Substance Abuse (GPSSA) said the HSE has already closed some clinics in Dublin dispensing methadone, the legal substitute for heroin.

The negotiating body said the HSE wants to amalgamate more services and end evening clinics in Dublin.

GPSSA said given the cutbacks in Dublin, it feared for much-needed services in the rest of the country.

It said cutbacks will mean less access to methadone for heroin addicts, resulting in more drug-related crime.

“Some of the changes being proposed will mean the assassination of frontline services, amalgamating clinics and getting rid of evening clinics,” said Dr Garreth McGovern of GPSSA.

“What the HSE is doing is having huge implications, cutting frontline services, which are already overburdened and overstretched,” he said.

“If they are cutting funding and closing clinics in Dublin, then I fear for the likes of Wexford, Kilkenny and other places waiting for methadone services.”

Ms McGovern added: “If drug users are not treated it cost taxpayers more. You’ll get an increase in crime, spread of blood-borne virus and huge public health risk. Research has shown that every €1 spent on treatment saves the taxpayer €4-€7 on health and crime costs.”

A HSE spokeswoman said no clinics had closed but that two drug clinics, in Inchicore and Ballyfermot, had move to “suitable premises” in Dr Steeven’s Hospital and that clients had indicated they were “happy” with the change.

She said amalgamation of clinics or the closure of evening clinics would be considered if driven by service demands while considering efforts to achieve efficiencies. She said services in the regions had been set up and more will follow.

But Dr McGovern said he had seen “no evidence” of many of these services.

Paul Delaney of the Cornmarket Project in Wexford said what the HSE had opened in the town was a pilot clinic.

He said there were only five clients and these were people who had been travelling to Waterford for methadone and were not actually new clients.

“It will do absolutely nothing for waiting lists or help engage with people to come off heroin,” he said.