Question reference: S6W-26982
- Date lodged: 24 April 2024
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Current status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 2 May 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the baseline funding for the drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme in (a) East and (b) South Ayrshire beyond the current allocations, in light of reports of a projected increase to 40 referrals for 2024-25.
Answer
Public Health Scotland (PHS) published a baseline report as part of their interim Evaluation of the Scottish Government Residential Rehabilitation programme in February, where the best available evidence suggested that referrals into residential rehabilitation have been increasing not only in East and South Ayrshire, but across the country since the beginning of the Scottish Government’s National Mission to improve and save lives impacted by substance use.
According to another recent PHS report, the upward trend in placements suggests that the Scottish Government is on track to hit its target of 1,000 people publicly funded to go to rehab by 2026.
The Scottish Government is finalising plans to provide more funding to facilitate this increase in areas where it is most needed. Further details on this will be made available in due course.