Blueprints reveal the inside of Glasgow's safe drug consumption room

Blueprints showing what Scotland's first legal drug consumption room will look like have been revealed - but elements of the design are proving to be controversial.

Construction is now underway on the site which will be inside the Hunter Street Health Centre in Gallowgate, Glasgow, and it is hoped it will open the doors as early as this summer.

It comes after recent figures revealed a 10% rise in suspected drug deaths in Scotland over the past year.

Artist impressions show the facility will have eight injecting booths under medical supervision to prevent overdoses.

Plans also show a designated aftercare area, featuring a cafe and sofas.

The facility will also contain showers, clean clothes, and a phone service for drug users to call loved ones.

It is hoped the inclusion of a homely atmosphere will help offer a "wraparound service", encouraging users to return and then be linked to existing services within the health centre, including access to GPs, sexual health and blood-borne virus specialists.

'A huge milestone'

Glasgow City Council's convenor for addiction services, Allan Casey, says the space is all about providing safety and dignity for service users.

He said: "This week is a huge milestone and I'm delighted that after years and years of campaigning, we're seeing our ideas and proposals come to fruition.

"We have sadly seen an increase in suspected drug deaths and we need to redouble and refocus all our efforts to reduce those needless deaths as quickly as we can.

"I think the introduction of the safe drug consumption facility into the wider suite of support that we're able to provide will hopefully make that difference that's required.

"But it's not a silver bullet - we need to ensure that we have the relevant services available to ensure we reduce those deaths as quickly as we can because we can't afford not to.

"What has been positive in the design work, is our lived experience team who helped shaped this.

"They've put forward recommendations that we've taken on board to make the space welcoming, but also practical.

"We want to give people that safe space, and also dignity, and that's why there are spaces for showers, and for coffees and a chat.

"We want to make sure we're providing a wraparound service and not just using the service and then leaving.

"We want to offer them as many opportunities as possible to move in towards recovery, which I think is hugely important."

'Unnecessary'

However, campaigner Annemarie Ward from Faces & Voices For Recovery has argued some parts of the facility are unnecessary.

She said: "I'm a bit struck by the ridiculous nature of the sofas and showers when there are so many services in the city centre which already provide that sort of care for people.

"I think it's trying to dress up a pig in a poke, when these so-called safe consumption rooms are a red herring.

"They're a diversion from us talking about the fact that we are not providing help for people who want to get off drugs.

"I don't think elements like sofas and showers are important to make the space work.

"I think offering people genuine compassion and help to get freedom from their dependency is much, much better."

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