Ref. 30759-52Drug addicts seeking to break the shackles of their habit need all the help they can get. One of the key components of programmes designed to get users off drugs is the heroin substitute, methadone. But, as TAMASH LAL discovered, getting access to methadone in Swindon is far from easy.

SWINDON'S fight against crime is being hampered because heroin addicts have to wait so long for methadone.

In most cases, addicts are waiting between three and four times longer than the 21-day Government target for the heroin substitute.

Because of the delays, many addicts on treatment programmes are caving in to their cravings, and resorting to crime mainly burglary to get a fix.

The latest figures for between January and March this year reveal that the average waiting time at the specialist Kingshill House clinic was 11-and-a-half weeks.

Meanwhile, drug users being dealt with jointly by a rehabilitation unit and their GP faced an average wait of 10 weeks.

But while addicts, victims of drug crime and legal professionals say urgent action is needed, drug workers complain that they are struggling with limited budgets and a spiralling drug problem.

Waiting times are also compounded because fewer GPs are taking on patients with severe drug dependencies.

The problem was highlighted by a case at Swindon Crown Court during which a judge condemned the delays.

Recorder Alun Jenkins QC said the waiting times were helping drive the cycle of drugs and crime.

He hit out after being told that a defendant had not been given methadone three weeks after starting a Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO), and was still using heroin.

Mr Jenkins said it was "absurd" to expect addicts to complete DTTOs an alternative to prison designed to help addicts beat drugs without methadone.

He commented: "You're let out with effectively no support, no prescription and you are back in the cycle of being some sort of malignant curse on the public who are going to get burgled again.

"That seems to me to be absurd."

The offender was appearing for re-sentencing, having breached the order.

Judges often favour DTTOs over prison because they are designed to tackle the root cause of drug crime the addiction itself.

But Mr Jenkins said: "We release them, they receive no help whatsoever because of long waiting lists although I'm not trying to criticise those who help so inevitably the cycle goes on and it is a complete waste of time."

Glenys Armstrong, who spearheads the Swindon Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), admitted waiting times were not good enough.

But she said they were improving.

"They are still higher than the national average, but they are better than they were," she said.

"We are working on bringing them down further, but are facing difficulties.

"For example, treatment centres like Druglink do not have the space to deal with the number of appointments.

"In addition, some GPs do not want to take on drug users."

Before April, all GPs took on heroin users.

But under a new scheme, doctors are encouraged to specialise.

This mean fewer will deal with drug users, but those who do will have more specialist knowledge to offer.

Changes are being phased in slowly to avoid disruption.

At present, methadone is prescribed at 17 surgeries.

Swindon Primary Care Trust was unable to say how many GPs had opted out of drug treatment.

Tamash Lal