26 April 2023
The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland has written to the new minister for drugs and alcohol policy Elena Whitham MSP to request an urgent meeting.
Just this week, it was revealed that more than 400 people died of a suspected drug overdose between November 2022 and February 2023 north of the border.
Now in a letter to the new minister, RCPsych in Scotland is calling on the minister to discuss a number of issues including:
- How the Scottish Government intends to pursue equality of service for Scotland’s rural areas - where recruitment is a major issue.
- How it plans to improve coordination of prison release and aftercare.
- The future of MAT funding after the current five-year commitment.
- And the system change required to develop a more responsive and coherent alcohol treatment system.
Dr Susanna Galea Singer Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland’s Addictions Faculty said:
“We congratulate the new minister on her appointment and are keen to meet to discuss a number of pressing issues for drug addiction services in Scotland.”
For further information, please contact:
- Email: scotland@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Contact Name: RCPsych in Scotland
- Twitter: @rcpsychscot