OVER a third of addicts referred to Weston for rehab vanish once their treatment is finished, new figures have revealed. The findings are part of an on-going investigation by Weston MP John Penrose. Mr Penrose has put the spotlight on how people with drug
OVER a third of addicts referred to Weston for rehab vanish once their treatment is finished, new figures have revealed.The findings are part of an on-going investigation by Weston MP John Penrose.Mr Penrose has put the spotlight on how people with drug and alcohol problems are referred to rehab centres in the town and what happens to them afterwards.His latest revelations show 36 per cent of drug addicts and alcoholics disappear off the radar once they have either completed or dropped out of their treatment programmes.He has slammed organisations that fail to keep tabs on the addicts ,saying the residents and authorities in Weston are left to pick up the pieces if things go wrong.The MP has handed his results over to the police and North Somerset Council's drug action team. Earlier in the year, Mr Penrose raised the issue in the House of Commons after exposing the large number of local authorities which did not notify North Somerset Council about addict referrals.He said: "These figures emphasise the scale of the problem we are facing. Where are they ending up?"Nobody seems to know, least of all the agencies that send them here. I suspect many stay in Weston."The authorities have a duty of care to their addicts. Too many are slipping through the net after they finish their treatment.
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