A survey of GPs in Oxfordshire has revealed many want more help in dealing with patients with drug problems, writes Karen Rosine.

Now doctors are to get better training and support for dealing with drug addicts.

The survey was carried out in February by the Oxfordshire Drug Action Team - a multi-agency task force tackling the problems of drugs across the county.

The survey found there was a need for more training and general guidelines about treatment for drug users. It also found more work was needed to clarify the extent of the county's drug problem. Figures for 1997/98 show there were 492 reported problem drug users in the county, but the team believes this should be multiplied by five or even ten times.

Action team co-ordinator Bill Holman said: "We just don't know how many problematic drug users we have in the county. The figures we do have are the tip of the iceberg.

"In conjunction with the new primary Care Groups we hope to be able to give GPs more support and more of the training they have identified they need to respond more readily."

Under the survey, questionnaires were sent to 360 GPs in Oxfordshire. Replies were received from 141. Of these, 40 per cent said they were not satisfied with current resources. Four GPs said they did not feel qualified to treat drug users, eight said addicts should be treated by a specialist service and 11 said they needed more time and support.

Most GPs said they treated symptoms, offered counselling and referred people to the specialist detox centre, the Chilton Clinic in Oxford. Fewer than half offered detoxification services themselves.The survey showed strong support for a hospital-based service such as the Chilton Clinic.

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