Portsmouth, UK Drug addicts to get home delivery deal

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http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/latest/D...ome.3197223.jp

Drug addicts to get home delivery deal

By Clare Semke
Health reporter

A SCHEME to allow heroin addicts to have fresh needles delivered to their door has come under fire.
Drug users in Portsmouth have been promised the council home delivery service as well as being able to set up special meetings to swap their dirty syringes for new, clean ones.

But the city council's delivery service, which aims to stop the spread of deadly infections, has been met with anger and astonishment by some community leaders.

In order to get clean needles sent to their homes addicts must register with Cranstoun Drug Services, which is running the scheme for the council.

They then ring a special hotline and tell them how many needles they want – an addict will generally need about 30 or 40 for a week.

Drug workers using an unmarked vehicle will then call on the addicts or meet them at an appointed place and give them their fresh supply. The information they have remains confidential, meaning they will not give police names or addresses of drug users.

Janice Burkinshaw, chairwoman of Milton Neighbourhood Forum, said: 'It's almost like they're bending over backwards to condone drug taking.

'I would let the addicts get on with it. It's like taking a clean glass round to an alcoholic. They are spending taxpayers' money on giving support to people who make the wrong life choices, but they are not giving enough support to people whom life has dealt a cruel blow.'

Councillor Alistair Thompson added: 'I have massive concerns about people travelling around the city picking up needles. The vehicle could be targeted if people get to recognise it and I don't think workers
should have to go into potentially dangerous situations. Who can say that if a drug user hasn't had their fix they won't become aggressive or violent?'

But Portsmouth City Council joint commissioning manager for substance misuse Barry Dickinson defended the scheme which will cost the city council £390,000 over three years.

He said: 'It is not an alternative to getting people off drugs. It's part of a much bigger system of trying to get people into treatment by providing a link to services in the community.'

Primary Care Trust Associate director Innes Richens said: 'It not only significantly reduces the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis but also enables people using drugs to be in touch with those services that can help them address problems related to their drug use.'

The service is already up and running in Fareham, Gosport and East Hampshire.

Last Updated: 13 September 2007 9:46 AM