Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Scottish Government submission of 12 October 2021
PE1900/A - Access to prescribed medication for detainees in police custody
I refer to your email of 16 September asking for the Scottish Government’s views on the action called for in the above petition.
The petition calls for action to ensure people in police custody can access their prescribed medication, including methadone. Fast and appropriate access to treatment, including all forms of opiate substitution treatment, is something the Scottish Government firmly believes is important. As part of the new national mission on drug deaths this is something which will be ensured through the implementation of new Medication Assisted Treatment Standards which Ministers have made a commitment to have fully embedded by April 2022.
At present the delivery of healthcare in police custody is the responsibility of Integration Authorities working closely with Police Scotland. There is an expectation at the moment that they will work together locally to provide services in accordance with the Guidance for Police Scotland and Healthcare Professionals published jointly by Police Scotland and NHS Scotland in April 2017. The guidance suggests a best practice model of care which includes a section devoted to care for those with problem drug use. In the guidance at 4.4.4.4 it is recommended that: “As long as it is safe and appropriate to do so, people in custody should have prescribed medication continued, this includes opiate substitution therapy such as methadone.” The Scottish Government supports the use of the guidance and this recommendation, with local, clinical decision making on what is safe and appropriate and on the basis of individual health assessments.
The Government has sought assurance from the Scottish Health in Custody Networks that OST is being provided to people in custody across Scotland and has sought assurance from NHS Grampian that Integration Authorities in the NHS Grampian area are making arrangements to be able to provide OST in custody in all cases where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
As local services move to embed the Medication Assisted Treatment Standards, which they have already agreed to implement, the appropriate availability of OST in custody will be assured in any case. The Scottish Government will monitor progress on the provision of OST to people in custody in the NHS Grampian area.