"A review of the use of methadone in drug rehabilitation programmes was announced by the first minister yesterday, after a child's death prompted wider questions about the heroin substitute which costs £13m a year. Jack McConnell said the ministers for health, justice, and children were being asked to report to cabinet this week on whether policies on rehabilitation were clear or consistent enough. His comments came after tests showed the death of Derek Doran, two, from Elphinstone, East Lothian, was linked to methadone which both his parents were receiving as treatment for heroin addiction."Let us pretend that you are one of the ministers concerned, say Andy Kerr. Within the few hours remaining before Wednesday morning, you are going to have to brief yourself to answer the following questions:
- What are the current rules for dispensing methadone? When does it have to be consumed on the pharmacist's premises? and when are patients allowed to take it away?
- Were the rules properly observed in the current case?
- Do we need to change the rules? If so, what procedures need to be followed to make those changes? Who do we need to consult? Are there legal issues that need to be resolved?
- If we were to change the rules, what would be the implications for the health of the patients concerned or the social circumstances of the local area?
- And anyway, what are the alternatives to methadone? and what are the comparative benefits and risks of these alternatives?
- What are the financial and staffing costs of any change?
- How do other countries deal with the problem? Do they do it better?
I am utterly confident that Mr Kerr will immediately get to the bottom of all these issues, as will his fellow ministers in the parallel policy areas for which they are responsible. But it would still be interesting to listen to the informed debate that we can expect from Mr McConnell's cabinet.
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