WAITING lists for drugs services in East Lancashire have been eliminated by the new provider Communicare NHS Trust.

There were 158 people in the Burnley area waiting to be assessed and get access to the service, but Communicare say all those are now receiving treatment.

Jerry Stokes, manager, said: "We felt that reducing the waiting lists was the priority in the first few months of the service and have focused on fast tracking assessments so that people can start getting the treatment they need."

The trust operates a shared-care model where patients are treated in doctor's surgeries and, at first, there was resistance in Burnley to the idea.

Currently, there are six shared-care clinics running in Blackburn with a further 13 on the way. In Burnley four clinics have been set up and a further five are planned.

Communicare's main aim with the new service is to increase the number of people who can get treatment for drug addiction. It is setting up drop-in clinics to assess clients and get them into treatment so waiting lists do not build up again.

The progress made by the trust was welcomed by members of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Community Health Council who voiced concerns about the new system when the contract for the drug misuse service in Burnley Health Care Trust's area was won by Communicare.

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