Frontline community drug taskforces are struggling to attract employees to deal with the “crack cocaine crisis” impacting deprived communities.
A lack of job security and pensions, along with better pay and conditions on offer with the HSE, means Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (LDATFs) are unable to fill vital positions.
The HSE’s current recruitment campaign is compounding the problem for taskforces, the LDATF chairs network said.
“We cannot compete with the salaries and conditions on offer from the HSE, but we need to be able to attract and retain sufficient staff in the community drug sector,” spokesperson Andrew Montague said.
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The warning comes amid what the network said is a massive funding shortfall and an “explosion” in the taskforces’ workload.
Much of this is driven by a huge increase in the use of crack cocaine. The number of recorded crack cocaine users has increased by almost 400 per cent since 2014 while the number of problem cocaine users has trebled.
At the same time, annual funding for taskforces has dropped by 4.5 per cent while the State’s overall annual health budget has increased by over 50 per cent.
There are 14 LDATFs, 12 of which are in the Dublin area. They were established in 1997 to target areas particularly impacted by addiction, poverty and social exclusion and act as a one-stop-shop where people with drug problems can access services.
On a national level there has been a six per cent increase in demand for substance abuse treatment in the last decade. But in the areas served by the taskforces, which are typically among the most deprived in the State, the increase has been 40 per cent.
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Drug workers say funding shortfalls mean they sometimes have to turn away people seeking treatment or tell them they must wait weeks for an appointment.
“The funding crisis simply means doing the job we are supposed to be doing is almost impossible,” said Geraldine Fitzpatrick, project manager at Dún Laoghaire Rathdown’s community addiction team.
“Our clients often have to wait weeks before we can support them in the way they need. That time lost can often be crucial in making a positive difference in people’s lives. It’s unconscionable to make vulnerable people, many of whom have shown great courage to come to us, wait a few more weeks.”
Thomas Gilson of Jobstown Assisting Drug Dependency (Jadd) said his service was already stretched before the crack cocaine crisis hit. Now its outreach team is seeing over 200 people with crack problems. “We are doing our best, but the reality is we are being asked to do a lot more with a lot less.”
[ Irish people joint-fourth highest consumers of cocaine globally, says UNOpens in new window ]
Mr Montague said taskforces have been hit with “a double whammy” of static funding and increased demand. The situation is unsustainable, he said.
The LDATF chairs network, which is meeting on Wednesday in Dublin, says it needs a €3 million increase in funding in the forthcoming health budget to meet communities’ needs.
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“We are baffled as to why successive governments have failed to value and invest in our community drug prevention, treatment and recovery services. Our work is at the coal face, working directly with affected communities, and we are uniquely placed to help identify needs and develop strategies to address those needs,” Mr Montague said.
