Older drug users (over 50s) in treatment - on Channel 4 News, Monday 4 January 2010

19.01.10

"No one should be written off in treatment because of their age," Paul Hayes has told Channel 4 News.

In a pre-recorded interview with Channel 4 News before Christmas, Paul Hayes responded to the suggestion that the treatment needs of older drug users - the over-50s - were being overlooked, that abstinence was not a realistic goal for this age group and that the national drug strategy appears to focus on young people and families rather than older people:

"It is essential for treatment services to respond to everyone as an individual and for those services to be ambitious as well as realistic for all clients, young and old. No one should be denied opportunities to overcome addiction because of their age, but it should be recognised that some people may need to stay in treatment longer than others and may need additional support to recover. It is encouraging that the average age of drug users in treatment is going up as it suggests that the problem drugs epidemic of heroin and crack use among young adults in the eighties and nineties may have peaked.

"Physical and mental health needs are essential considerations for all drug users coming into treatment, but particularly for ageing drug users, so health and care services need to be joined up and the surest way of doing this for people is through their GP. The national drug strategy is concerned not just with treatment but with the wider harms associated with drug use and as such it is entirely legitimate for the strategy to focus on preventing young people from becoming drug dependent and addressing the particular needs of the children of drug using parents. The treatment element of the drug strategy, however, is tailored to individuals and not to age groups."

The Channel 4 piece also features interviews with treatment specialist Dr Linda Harris and a service user in Wakefield.

The feature highlights WISMS commitment to improving the care of older clients by:

• Reducing stigma
• Facilitating access
• Promoting self management
• Improving the management of any associated long term conditions that become a feature of some older drug users' lives

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