HC Deb 14 March 1984 vol 56 c386
9. Mr. Martin

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have been treated for illnesses arising from drug abuse (a) in Scotland and (b) in the Greater Glasgow health board catchment area in each of the past four years.

Mr. John MacKay

I regret that this information is not available centrally. Hospital admissions in Scotland with a principal diagnosis of drug dependence in 1980 and 1981 were 179 and 168 respectively; the figures for Greater Glasgow were 45 and 44. Figures for later years are not yet available.

Mr. Martin

Is the Minister aware that hospitals such as the one in my constituency at Stobhill in the north end of the city are worried because they find more and more that drug addicts are having to be admitted to undergo heart surgery, and in some cases have to be treated for hepatitis and various abscesses which they contract through using dirty syringes? That puts a deplorable strain on the Health Service. Nurses and staff in general hospitals are not trained to look after the needs of such patients. Will the Minister try to make available funds that will help hospitals such as that at Stobhill, and will he also assist the various police forces to do something about the traders who are pushing those drugs?

Mr. MacKay

The hon. Member made a number of points, which I fully appreciate. I have a great deal of sympathy with him. The increased trade in drugs, especially of heroin, that we have seen mentioned, for example, in the report of the chief constable of Strathclyde, is horrifying. I assure the hon. Gentleman that we shall do anything that we can inside the Health Service to help deal with the resultant problems. The best way to deal with the problem is for the police to find and convict, and for the courts to deal seriously with, those who traffic in drugs.

Mr. Corrie

Is there any evidence to show that specific areas of Scotland have a specific problem with the number of patients entering hospitals? Is there anything one can do to correlate it to the action being taken by the police in those areas?

Mr. MacKay

I am unaware of any statistics from the hospital side that would compare one area with another. We have the evidence in the report of the chief constable of Strathclyde of the considerable increase in his area, to which I have already drawn attention. I am sure that the House will join me in backing the chief constable and his men in doing something about it.