WHSCT area has 2nd highest opiate waits

NORWICH, CT - MARCH 23: Oxycodone pain pills prescribed for a patient with chronic pain lie on display on March 23, 2016 in Norwich, CT. Communities nationwide are struggling with the unprecidented opioid pain pill and heroin addiction epidemic. On March 15, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), announced guidelines for doctors to reduce the amount of opioid painkillers prescribed, in an effort to curb the epidemic. The CDC estimates that most new heroin addicts first became hooked on prescription pain medication before graduating to heroin, which is stronger and cheaper. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

The number of people affected here is still relatively small but 10 patients from the Western Trust were on the waiting list for opiate substitution therapy on New Year’s Eve 2019.

Six people in the western health area had been waiting for between 22 and 45 days for help overcoming their addiction on that date.

A further four had been on the waiting list for between zero and 21 days.

The problem is more marked in Belfast where a total of 41 people were awaiting help in getting over their opioid addictions.

But in other local health authority areas - the Northern (2), South Eastern (1) and Southern (1) - very few people were waiting for this type of therapy.

The opioid problem in the North’s prison population continues to be of some concern.

Thirty-eight prisoners were on the waiting list for therapy at the start of the year.

Health Minister Robin Swann released details of the waiting times for opiate substitution therapy in response to an Assembly Question.

Opiate substitution therapy can involve people suffering from addiction to heroin or other opioids being offered less harmful replacement drugs such as methadone.