METHADONE BACKLOG AS GP'S RELUCTANT TO TREAT ADDICTS

Addicted heroin users in Canberra - many involved in the city's worsening
crime problem - are unable to join the methadone program to get off drugs
because most suburban doctors do not want them in their surgeries.

One concerned social worker said last night that only three doctors in
Belconnen and Gungahlin were willing to take part in the program and treat
methadone users.

This unwillingness had led to a backlog at the main treatment area, at the
Canberra Hospital at Woden, were up to 300 people went each day for
treatment.

The concentration of methadone users at Woden also had led to drug pushers
congregating outside to harrass patients when they came or left.

The social worker said that if all doctors treated two or three addicts
each, the backlog would be cleared.

The ACT Government had opened methadone treatment to local pharmacists, who
supplied the methadone syrup prescribed by general practitioners to more
than 100 people in Canberra.

ACT Health Minister Michael Moore said last night that he was aware of the
blockage. More doctors were taking part in accreditation courses allowing
them to prescribe methadone.

New plan offers savings

Mr Moore said he had approved an extra six users recently to go to Woden,
But he regarded waiting times as unacceptable.

A Canberra general practitioner, Dr James Bell, had prepared a report
recommending improvements in the present system. If adopted it would phase
in methadone users under a new cost-free plan for the first six months, and
send them to local pharmacies after that at a cost of $15 a week.

The report is with the Methadone Advisory Group.

Mr Moore said he would like more doctors to take part, and had written to
the Division of General Practice asking for more doctors to volunteer to
take part in the program.

The Australian Federal Police warned on Friday of large quantities of
heroin in Canberra that had been tested at more than 80 per cent purity.

The ACT Ambulance Service said paramedics had attended 42 overdoses in
July, and 10 people had died from overdoses in the past year.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)