CONSTANCE WELCOMES INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION FOR LOTHIANS

CONSTANCE WELCOMES INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION FOR LOTHIANS

Angela Constance MSP,  in her role as the Scottish Government’s Minister for Drug Policy,  launched new services at the Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) which will increase access to residential rehabilitation for people with drug and alcohol problems across all of the Lothians- including West Lothian.

Additional residential rehabilitation and detox capacity has been created at this life-saving with almost £3.3 million of Scottish Government funding.

Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) has added eight residential rehabilitation places and four detox places - bringing the total number to 28 and 12 respectively - in one of the first projects to be funded through the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme.

This contributes towards the Scottish Government’s aim to increase residential rehabilitation beds by 50 % by 2026.

Welcoming this announcement Angela Constance MSP said 

“I was really pleased to launch these additional services at LEAP which provide invaluable, life-saving care to people affected by substance use across the Lothians including here in West Lothian. 

“LEAP is well evidenced and well regarded and the  three-month programme provides excellent holistic therapeutic care with aftercare up to 2 years.

“To help tackle drug deaths the Scottish Government is investing an additional £250 million over the course of this Parliament in a range of different services and treatments. £100 million of this is available for the development of residential rehabilitation services and associated aftercare.”

Ends 

Photograph – Angela Constance MSP with Dr David McCartney,  Clinical Lead of LEAP