Support for Enhanced Drug Treatment Service by Chief Medical Officer
Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Cath Calderwood and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Rose Marie Parr visited Glasgow City HSCP’s new Enhanced Drug Treatment Centre on 28 January.
The CMO posted a very positive message on twitter immediately afterwards Expressing her support for the service she said: “Visited the pioneering Enhanced Drug Treatment Service in Glasgow. Truly client centred holistic care - reducing drug related harm. One of the first in the UK - very impressed.”
The Enhanced Drug Treatment Service (EDTS) opened in November 2019 in Glasgow city centre and treats patients with the most severe and long-standing addiction issues as well as other complex needs. This new service aims to help save lives by reducing the risk of overdoses and the spread of blood borne viruses such as HIV. It will also help reduce public injecting by those receiving this treatment.
Patients not only receive specialist addiction treatment, they also receive a holistic assessment of their physical and mental health and their social, financial and legal needs. The EDTS is supported by a range of Glasgow City HSCP and NHSGGC services to tackle any other problems highlighted, such as blood borne virus treatment, housing and welfare rights support.
The service operates between 9am and 5pm daily, every day of the week, and is delivered by a specialist multi-disciplinary team, supported by other health and social care services.
Dr Saket Priyadarshi, Associate Medical Director and Senior Medical Officer, Glasgow Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services welcomed the visitors to the EDTS.
He said: “The CMO was most impressed by the joined up nature of and the range of services being delivered by the facility, addressing broad health and social care needs. The EDTS is already engaging some of Glasgow city’s most vulnerable people with complex needs and their early response to the service is very promising, showing the benefits of co-located services. This is a much needed and welcome addition to the comprehensive treatment and care services already existing in Glasgow.”