NEW measures to deal with the 1,300 more drug addicts peeking treatment programmes over the last 12 months, have been announced by the Eastern Health Board.
The board hopes to eliminate waiting lists for drug treatment this year by increasing mobile services and the introduction of an emergency assessment facility next April.
The EHB has also finalised plans to deal with 300 younger people at each of the addiction centres as well as to provide extra detoxification beds and a rehabilitation service for more than 260 clients.
The number of general practitioners prescribing methadone increased by 400 per cent last year and there are now 39 pharmacists dispensing the heroin substitute compared to just three at the beginning of last year.