Letter: GPs offended by drugs claim

Letter: The letter (Chance for Doctors to Save Lives) from Janet Groves, of the Drugs Anonymous Movement, implies that there is no service for substance misusers in Bridgnorth. This is incorrect.

The Shared Care service is offered in some practices in Shropshire as an additional service to their routine work.

It is commissioned and funded by the primary care trust in practices with appropriate training and expertise.

The doctors decided not to offer this service as they felt it would be better for the service to be developed by specialists in this field from the Community Substance Misuse team and for it to be available to all patients within south-east Shropshire, not just those registered with Bridgnorth Medical Practice.

Some time ago the doctors at the practice were instrumental in encouraging the primary care trust to set up a clinic at Bridgnorth Hospital which provides local follow-up and support for patients in south-east Shropshire.

This takes place twice monthly. A weekly "drop-in" facility is also available at the Community Mental Health Trust in Northgate Health Centre.

There has been a move to set up a support service for the carers of substance misusers and the doctors have offered to publicise and promote this if one were to be set up in this area.

Doctors at the practice provide general health care to all patients including substance misusers and are deeply offended by the implication that they are failing to save lives.

Bridgnorth Medical Practice