A campaign calling for a standalone drug and alcohol treatment centre in Derry took another step forward after the Department of Health gave the green light to carry out an assessment for the centre.
Campaigners have been calling for a specialist centre for detox provision in the city after a rise in the number of deaths by drug and alcohol abuse in the Western Trust area in recent years.
Emmet Doyle, Aontú Cllr for the Ballyarnett area and secretary of the Derry Demands a Detox Centre, welcomed the progress in securing a detox provision.
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He said: "The Derry Detox campaign produced a basis case a while ago on the need for a detox provision in this City which we sent to stakeholders in the Health and social care sector.
"As secretary of the campaign we were delighted that as a result of that business case, the Department agreed to undertake a needs assessment in the Western Trust area to determine the scale of addictions, current services and how the future of services in the region might look.
"A tender for the assessment by the Department will now be released in the immediate future and I am delighted to see even in the absence of an Executive that this massively important piece of work on the road to providing a sustainable detox provision in this city is progressing.
"I remain committed to ensuring that we get the services we deserve for all those in the city who need them.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Department of Health confirmed that imminent preparations had been made for a needs assessment in the Western Trust in addiction services.
They said: "A population-based needs assessment for substance use will be undertaken within the Western HSC Trust area and a tender for this is due to be issued imminently.
"This will act as a pilot to assessing need across the region and will scope population need and current gaps in service provision.
"This needs assessment will also feed into the Department’s response to the New Decade New Approach commitment on a Derry detox centre."
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