A CONTRACT TO BEAT DRUGS

Addicts Get Help With Housing As Well As Addiction

A doctor is making his drug addict patients sign a contract promising to
behave. In return they get help with their addiction, housing, mental
health problems and other concerns.

And the GP from Shoeburyness, in Essex, says the scheme, which has been
running for over two years, has led to a dramatic slump in crime.

Although the clinic, which runs for an hour each week, only deals with 12
addicts, Dr John McMurray said he has seen fantastic results with drug
abuse cut by a quarter.

Addicts are so keen to stay on the programme that the almost daily verbal
abuse of staff has vanished.

Others have stopped stealing to feed their addiction and three addicts with
repeated convictions for assault; theft and burglary have not offended for
over two years.

Dr McMurray said he was so pleased with the one stop clinic that he hopes
to see other GPs taking up the scheme.

He said that at first the scheme had been very unpopular with addicts, who
had been reluctant to sign the four-way contract with the GP, local drugs
service and the pharmacist.

"We set it up to help them deal with their problems, but they had to
promise not to be aggressive and to turn up on time and to take regular
tests to make sure they are not taking other drugs on top of those they are
being prescribed.

"It seems to be working well and there has been a cut in the drugs people
are taking by about a quarter."

Enforcing policy

Dr McMurray said his team would be very strict on anyone stepping out of line.

"Occasionally we have to ask someone to leave because they are abusive or
have been selling their drugs on. Then they have to be asked to leave the
clinic for three months."

Dr Hamish Meldrum, joint deputy chairman of the BMA's GPs Committee said
schemes like this need to be run in conjunction with other services, but
admitted they would not be suitable for all practices.

"Schemes such as this are quite frequently provided by GPs with a special
interest in this area of medicine, but they are not appropriate for all GPs.

"You do need back up resources, for example social workers to look after
the other needs of these people. It is much better if it is done in a
co-ordinated way and in a lot of areas this is not possible."