Dundee drug deaths challenge was 'underestimated', review finds
The Dundee Drugs Comission has released 12 recommendations on what more needs to be done to tackle drugs deaths in the city
Last updated 22nd Mar 2022
More needs to be done to tackle Dundee's drug death problem, according to a review by the Dundee Drugs Comission two years on from a damming report of the services in Dundee.
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The specialist panel that carried out the review was originally set up by the Dundee Partnership as a response to an increasing number of drug-related deaths in the city.
The Commission’s Report, Responding to Drug Use with Kindness Compassion and Hope was published in August 2019. That report laid out sixteen key recommendations alongside associated findings for the Dundee Partnership to action in order to help address the drugs death crisis in Dundee.
The new report states that the original recommendations "remain valid" while offering twelve new recommendations.
While acknowledging that the partnership has made "genuine and extensive efforts to address the drugs challenge in Dundee", the report states that the challenge has been underestimated saying: "we believe that the scale of the challenge has been greater than the Partnership anticipated."
Alongside the recommendations, the report also states that the partnership must work together with the Scottish Government and lessons can be learned from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Robert Peat, chair of the commission said: "The outreach work that was demonstrated through the pandemic, there are real lessons from that. I think some of that outreach was lacking before. There were some good examples from the third sector, but, I think the ways of working that were put in place to deal with the pandemic now need to be reviewed."
Constitution House to close
One of the key recommendations made in the report is to have Constitution House closed "in the shortest possible timeframe." Staff would then be used to carry out community based work with GP's and the third sector.
On why the closure is necessary, Dr Peat said: "It's overly burocratic, its been a problem for many years. It is log jammed. It was when we did our first piece of work, it still is. There are real capacity issues there and that needs to change. If the progress that needs to be put in place and the progress that we want to see happen, then Constitution House needs to close."
On the community based work he said: "The staff need to be enabled to move out into the community to work effectively with GP's, with the third sector and other community based organisations, to work in an integrated way there. If that happens, then we'll see some positive changes."
While the report recommends GP's play a larger role, Dr Peat acknowledges that shortages in the city could hinder progress. He said: "In Dundee some of the problems with the lack of GP's, which are being experienced everywhere, may inevitably hamper the progress that we would hope to see happening but I think this project will work to get a commitment from GP's to take on this role."
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Dundee City Council Chief Executive Greg Colgan said: “I would like to acknowledge the work that has been undertaken by Dr Robert Peat and the commissioners to produce this review report for the Dundee Partnership.
“The Partnership has achieved progress in a number of areas since the commission delivered its original report, but we are not complacent about the size of the task at hand.
“We are now considering the recommendations of this review report and partners will meet soon to look at the way forward.
“Local agencies leading efforts to cut the number of drugs deaths are facing a number of pressures and we will have to consider prioritisation across of number of service areas for people throughout Dundee.
“I would like to take this opportunity to praise staff for the immense efforts they have been making to turn this situation around, especially in the face of the pandemic.
“In their front-line role they have shown creativity to help deliver services in different ways. They are so committed to their work and their contribution will be vital in ensuring further progress.”
Independent chair of the Dundee Alcohol and Drugs Partnership Simon Little said: “Although there has been important progress, enormous challenges remain. We must continue to drive down drugs deaths, eradicate stigma and ensure that high quality person-centred services that treat everyone with dignity and respect are the norm.
“We must make these essential improvements, and we can. The most recent annual figures for Drug Deaths in the City showed a fall of 21%; down from 72 to 57. I believe that was due to a much faster response to those at high risk and more joined up working. But clearly there is a long way to go.
“Major work is underway to improve how people with both substance use and mental health issues are supported; including those who are in crisis. And over the next two years services will become more community based and more GP practices will deliver shared care.”