The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7224 p700
16 November 2002

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New methadone service is easing the workload of pharmacists in Stranraer

Increased demand for methadone services in Stranraer, south west Scotland, has prompted the creation of a new scheme, where consumption is supervised by a drug project worker rather than by a community pharmacist.

Under the Dumfries and Galloway drug action team scheme, local pharmacists retain control of methadone procurement and dispensing, but consumption occurs at the Turning Point drug project premises, rather than at the community pharmacy. Prescriptions are written by the sessional doctor based at the drug project and then taken, on a rotational basis, to one of the three pharmacies in Stranraer — Boots The Chemists, Lloydspharmacy and Kerr.

A project worker collects individually dispensed and fully labelled methadone doses from the pharmacy on a daily basis and methadone consumption is witnessed, under an agreed protocol, by Turning Point staff at the drug project. Clients remain on the premises to check whether the dose is right for them and meanwhile they can use other services at the drug project, such as counselling. Any unused methadone, as a result of people not turning up to take their dose, is returned to the dispensing pharmacy the same day.

Alan MacDonald, director of pharmacy at Dumfries and Galloway Primary Care Trust, explained that local need for a methadone service, combined with a lack of private space within the pharmacies, meant that pharmacies were beginning to struggle to provide the service. He said a waiting list had begun to develop: "Stranraer is recognised as having a major drug problem. People need the help now. [The new scheme] has enabled us to provide a service to a greater number of patients."

Mr MacDonald added that since the introduction of the scheme about two months ago, the response from pharmacists and those using the service had been favourable, although two of the three pharmacies involved were also continuing to supervise some patients on their own premises.

Kath Lord-Green, commissioning officer at Dumfries and Galloway alcohol and drug action team, said that using alternative premises brought advantages in addition to an increased service capacity for the methadone service.

"Clients are happier that they are not consuming their medication in front of other customers in the pharmacy. It also gives them time to relax and get to know the drug worker and discuss other issues," she said. The protocol used by the drug project workers was developed collaboratively by Ms Lord-Green, Mr MacDonald, the local pharmacists and the Turning Point drug project, and has been approved by the Home Office Drugs Branch.