A DRUG treatment over-haul is planned. Swindon's Drug and Alcohol Action Team hopes to open a multi-purpose rehab centre to slash the time addicts wait for help.

The facility would centralise the services currently provided by Druglink and Kingshill House, both in Old Town.

Kingshill is an NHS-run specialist centre offering methadone prescriptions and other services. Drug-link runs counselling and therapy courses.

There have been concerns that Kingshill has a stigma attached to it because of its other role as a mental health clinic.

Managers at Druglink have complained cramped accommodation stops them expanding to tackle rising problems, such as crack addiction. The plans for a combined centre are contained in the DAAT's new three-year Crime and Drugs Strategy.

This comes into force in April 2005.

DAAT manager Glenys Armstrong said: "The strategy is based on our research into Swindon's drug treatment needs.

"One of our priorities is to make sure we have the capacity to cope with the demand for treatment.

"When people are waiting for treatment they often still commit crimes.

"Housing the two organisations under one roof will mean clients are not bounced between one and the other.

"There will also be a wider range of options." She said the Government was pumping more cash into the regional DAATs.

"The Government is giving us an extra £40,000 next year, so we will get around £888,000 across the board," she said.

The main problem will be finding suitable premises.

Druglink has faced problems finding alternative premises because landlords are often unwilling to lease to drug charities.

In June, the Adver reported how waiting times for methadone prescriptions in Swindon were longer than the national average.

Figures showed the average waiting time at Kingshill House was 80 days.

The Government target is 21 days.