These services are provided as part of the holistic support that the NHS, social services and third sector offer for people with substance use issues, which may include the use of opioids, stimulants, prescription medications, alcohol and more. The detail of which medications are used in treatment and what support is delivered varies by Health Board.
The core of these services is the provision of support to patients in recovery, along with dispensing and/or supervision of substitution therapies.
Opioid Substitution Treatment
The following guidance is intended to support pharmacists and staff involved in dispensing and supply of Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) to patients.
Community Pharmacy Guidance for the Provision of Substance Misuse Services (updated August 2018)
The above document contains Information Sharing Forms which can be used to communicate any health and wellbeing issues with prescribers via email or alternatively, they can be printed off and used in paper form. Arrangements for communication should be made based on local requirements and preferences. Quick links to the forms are below:
The PCR system may also be used for recording interventions, issues or discussions which may be used to feed back to prescribers or addiction workers and collate a record to support patient care in the pharmacy.
If you need to order further supplies of purple installment forms, you can do so using this Stores Order form.
OST – Missed Doses (“3 Day Rule”)
It is of vital importance that the prescriber of any patient who misses 3 consecutive days of opioid substitution treatment is informed as soon as possible. There are a number of reasons for this stipulation:
- There is a risk that the patient may have lost tolerance to the drug and the usual dose may cause overdose.
- There is a risk that the patient has come to some sort of harm. Community Pharmacies are an important point of contact for many patients prescribed OST.
- There is a risk that the patient has moved to another area and their OST has been prescribed elsewhere.
Scotland is currently in the midst of a drug related deaths crisis and community pharmacy can play a vital role in tackling this issue, particularly through ensuring effective communication between services.
If a patient fails to present to the community pharmacy for 3 consecutive days for OST treatment, please contact the prescriber or local substance misuse service. Alternatively, please notify the NHS Lothian Lead Pharmacist for Substance Misuse Services: Barry.Chapman2@nhs.scot
Other Harm Reduction Services
Injecting Equipment Provision (IEP) Pharmacies
The following list of community pharmacies and support hubs provide clean injecting equipment and take back used equipment for safe disposal. Doing so is an important harm reduction measure and can support patients not yet in treatment to access services by providing encouragement and signposting when necessary.
| East Lothian W | BANKTON PHARMACY | HAWTHORN ROAD PRESTONPANS |
| East Lothian E | RIGHT MEDICINE PHARMACY | 20 HIGH STREET HADDINGTON |
| East Lothian W | ESKSIDE PHARMACY | 165 HIGH STREET MUSSELBURGH |
| Edinburgh NE | LINDSAY & GILMOUR CHEMIST | 58-60 NIDDRIE MAINS ROAD EDINBURGH |
| Edinburgh NE | LINDSAY & GILMOUR CHEMIST | 257A LEITH WALK EDINBURGH |
| Edinburgh NW | LINDSAY & GILMOUR CHEMIST | 228-230 CREWE ROAD NORTH EDINBURGH |
| Edinburgh SE | BOOTS UK LTD | 46-48 SHANDWICK PLACE EDINBURGH |
| Edinburgh SE | NEWINGTON PHARMACY | 46-48 CLERK STREET EDINBURGH |
| Edinburgh SE | OMNICARE PHARMACY | 2 HOME STREET EDINBURGH |
| Edinburgh SW | M&D GREEN | 291 CALDER ROAD EDINBURGH |
| Edinburgh SW | M&D GREEN | 18 CALDER PARK SIGHTHILL |
| Edinburgh SW | OMNICARE PHARMACY | 1 ARDMILLAN TERRACE EDINBURGH |
| MIDLOTHIAN | ROWLANDS PHARMACY | 55 CLERK STREET LOANHEAD |
| West Lothian E | OMNICARE PHARMACY | 6 MAIN STREET DEANS LIVINGSTON |
| West Lothian E | OMNICARE PHARMACY | 23 -25 WEST MAIN STREET UPHALL |
| West Lothian W | BLACKBURN PHARMACY | 2A SYCAMORE WALK, BLACKBURN |
| West Lothian E | HEALTHFUL PHARMACY | 157 NIGEL RISE – DEDRIDGE LIVINGSTON |
| West Lothian W | DUNAMIS PHARMACY | 27 ELIZABETH DRIVE BOGHALL WEST LOTHIAN |
- Injection Equipment Provision Standard Operating Procedure (updated August 2014)
- Injection Equipment Provision in Edinburgh and Lothians (updated December 2019)
Substance Use Services
| Substance Use Service | Address | Telephone Number |
| Services for Substance Misusers Adolescent Substance Use Service (ASUS) and Young People’s Substance Use Service (YPSUS) | City Chambers, Level 6, 249 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ | Working Remotely: 07969 200984 |
| Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO) | 29-31 Alva Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4PS | 0131 225 7788 |
| East Lothian Substance Misuse Service | The Esk Centre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, EH21 6AB | 0131 446 4853 |
| Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) | Woodlands House, Astley Ainslie Hospital, 74 Canaan Lane, Edinburgh, EH9 2TB | 0131 446 4400 |
| Midlothian Substance Misuse Service | 11 St. Andrew Street, Dalkeith, EH22 1AL | 0131 285 9600 |
| North East Recovery Hub | 5 Links Place, Edinburgh, EH6 7EZ | 0131 554 7516 |
| North West Recovery Hub | Craigroyston Health Clinic, 1b Pennywell Road, Edinburgh, EH4 4PH | 0131 315 2121 |
| PrePare (Pregnancy/Neonatal) | Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, 30 Harvesters Way, Edinburgh, EH14 3JF | 0131 453 9208 |
| Spittal Street Centre (Harm Reduction Services) | 22-24 Spittal Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DU | 0131 537 8300 |
| Regional Infectious Diseases Unit (RIDU) | Ward 41, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU | 0131 537 2820 |
| Ritson Clinic | Royal Edinburgh Hospital, 1st Floor, Andrew Duncan Building, Morningside Terrace, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF | 0131 537 6444 |
| South East Recovery Hub | Gracemount Medical Centre, 24 Gracemount Road Edinburgh, EH16 6RN | 0131 672 9544 |
| South West Recovery Hub | Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, 30 Harvesters Way, Edinburgh, EH14 3JF | 0131 453 9448 |
| West Lothian NHS Addictions Service | 1st Floor, Civic Centre, Howden Road South, Livingston, EH54 6FF | 01506 282 845 |
| Alcohol Related Brain Damage Unit (ARBD) | Milestone House, 113 Oxgangs Road North, Edinburgh, EH14 1EB | 0131 441 5778 |
Further NHS Lothian Contacts
Barry Chapman (Lead Pharmacist for Substance Misuse)
Bala Subbiah (Lead Pharmacist Prison Services)
Further Useful Contacts/Patient Support
Change Grow Live have a UK-wide list of support and advice services including helpline numbers for Narcotics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous
www.changegrowlive.org
Scottish Drug Services list contact information and details for over 200 agencies in Scotland who can help with drug treatment and care
www.scottishdrugservices.com
Turning Point Scotland offer confidential and effective support to those wishing to address their drug and alcohol use
https://www.turningpointscotland.com/alcohol-and-drugs/