HEROIN CLINIC GRINDS TO HALT

DRUG firms have stopped supplying Dr George O'Neil's heroin detoxification
clinic and it will not open to treat addicts on Wednesday unless money
appears before then.

The manager of the Subiaco clinic, Karen Dunmore, said yesterday the drug
companies that supplied the clinic with naltrexone and narcan had not been
paid for three weeks and this week had stopped supply because of an
outstanding $60,000 bill.

Premier Richard Court announced more than six weeks ago that Dr O'Neil
would get up to $500,000 from a new $1 million trust fund to be
established. But the trust fund has not been set up. The money is still at
least two weeks away.

Mrs Dunmore said that since Mr Court's announcement, donations to the
clinic had dried up.

She said she hoped there would be enough narcan and naltrexone to treat the
expected 30 patients at today's clinic but it was unlikely there would be
any left for Wednesday, the next detoxification treatment day.

Mrs Dunmore said a $10,000 donation kept the clinic operating on its two
treatment days last week, where up to 60 patients were rapidly detoxified
from heroin, but only $700 was received this week.

Health Minister John Day's office told The West Australian last week it
expected the money to be available this week. But a chairman for the trust
fund was appointed only yesterday.

Mr Day's spokesman said yesterday an announcement would probably be made
next week about the board of trustees and then the board would have to meet
and call for submissions before it could hand over money.

The spokesman said he expected Dr O'Neil would get $500,000 soon after his
submission was received. He pointed out that Dr O'Neil was away on an
overseas study tour and warned that any money his clinic received from the
trust fund could not be used to pay drug bills but could pay staff.

Mrs Dunmore said staff were working under ridiculous pressure and drug
companies could not be blamed for the crisis.

Greens MLC Christine Sharp, a supporter of the clinic, said she was
appalled that the bureaucracy and incompetence of the Government could
force the clinic's temporary closure.