AfterTek

Media reports that the drug treatment program referrals from the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) are declining patients was rejected outright by the director. Dr Ingrid van Beek responded to a report, which alleged treatment referrals were in decline, by saying such referrals have in fact increased. “The number of client referrals to drug treatment and rehabilitation programs has not decreased over time, they have in fact increased,” Dr van Beek said.

The same figures used in the media report were quoted by opposition leader Barry O’Farrell as he called for the centre’s closure, saying that he would vote against extending the centre’s trial, due to expire in October, when the matter came before parliament. “It is very unfortunate that the MSIC has been politicised in the way it has. We had hoped that the new leader of the opposition might be more circumspect, reserving his decision until the final evaluation reports are tabled,” Dr van Beek said.

A spokesperson for Mr O’Farrell said he was in the process of accepting an invitation to go and meet with staff at the centre and see their work firsthand. According to Dr van Beek media reports contrasting the number of visits per quarter, 20,783, with the number of referrals, 211, were misleading, as one person could visit the centre multiple of times.

“Of the more than 10,000 individuals who have registered to use the MSIC to date, 11%, more than 1000 individual injecting drug users have been referred to drug treatment. This is an exceptionally good outcome, particularly when you consider that the MSIC sees arguably the most marginalised, entrenched part of this population.” Dr van Beek also said that while referral to drug treatment is part of the MSIC’s mission, saving lives is equally important.

“Two thousand overdose cases have been successfully treated by trained staff at the MSIC, not requiring emergency ambulance callouts - and no fatalities to date - overdoses that would have otherwise occurred in unsupervised, often public places,” she said. Kings Cross resident Michael Gormley said the suggestions the centre was not meeting its obligations was laughable and a desperate attack by a small group who were, “obsessed” with closing the centre.

“It’s not 20,000 separate people using the centre, it’s something like a few thousand. Statistically, you can make anything look like whatever you want if that suits your purposes,” he said. “You can offer referrals, but you can’t force people to take them. The whole point is keeping people alive, and if at some stage they decide they want serious rehabilitation, then they will eventually go and do it.” “You can’t be rehabilitated if you are dead.”

A spokesperson for Darlinghurst Residents Action Group (DRAG) Jo Holder also rejected the suggestions the centre was not meeting its referral objectives or that it should be closed. “As a local resident and a business owner I can tell you that support for this centre is overwhelmingly positive, it used to be like wading knee deep through syringes before it opened,” she said. “It has created a safe clean environment and they are doing rehabilitation constantly.”