Right to Recovery Bill ‘won’t make huge amount of difference’, MSPs told

A proposed Bill to enshrine the right to recovery from addiction in law “won’t make a huge amount of difference”, MSPs have heard.

The legislation, proposed by former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, would mandate that those battling addiction must receive treatment prescribed by a doctor within three weeks.

The Member’s Bill is currently at stage one in Holyrood and will either need support from the Government or from all opposition parties to pass.

I don't think (the Bill) will actually make a huge amount of difference, because what it's stipulating is already what is being done

Speaking before the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee at Holyrood on Tuesday, Dr Sue Galea-Singer, the clinical lead for addiction services at NHS Fife, said much of the Bill’s aims are already in place and enshrining them in law could have “unintended consequences”.

She added: “I don’t think (the Bill) will actually make a huge amount of difference, because what it’s stipulating is already what is being done.

“What the Bill is stipulating is treatment within three weeks.

“There are already targets, that we stick to, collaborating with a patient to be able to come to a care package that would be suitable for them, where they’re making choices, is already being done.

“Putting in a legal aspect to it might actually have unintended consequences rather than benefits.”

Eddie Follan, the chief officer of health and social care at local authority body Cosla, also questioned if the Bill is too “narrow” in its focus.

Mr Follan also raised the impact that the Bill could have on those working in addiction services which are “already under pressure”.

He said: “We know in our health and care partnerships that they’re struggling in terms of workforce capacity as well.

“Our concern would be around the impact that would have on our workforce that’s under pressure at the moment.”

Financial pressures exist in the public and third sector, he added, saying: “We would be introducing a Bill like this at a time when the system is under severe strain.”

Dr Galea-Singer also raised concerns about the impact on the workforce.

“I think introducing something else, which is not totally in conflict, but legalising something like that would have unintended consequences on the burnout levels of our workforce,” she said.

The majority of the panel, including Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership service manager Gillian Robertson, also stressed that recovery from addiction is not just about treatment to get off drugs.

“It’s often the trauma that goes before that, and their current living situation, family situation,” she said.

“There needs to be that multiple approach, which maybe isn’t as evident within the Bill.”

But pointing to the still-high number of drug deaths, Scottish Tory MSP Brian Whittle said: “Obviously, the system isn’t working across the board.”

He also asked the panel if they agree that the Bill could stop people “sliding back” into addiction.

Ms Robertson said drug services have recently been re-designed and to ask staff to do so again would cause “burnout for staff”.

Responding to the evidence, Mr Ross said: “I have listened and continue to listen carefully to the views of experts in taking forward the landmark Right to Addiction Recovery Bill.

“On average every four hours a Scot dies because of drugs or alcohol – we need to do more to address this national emergency.

“I look forward to responding to these views and those from other sessions in my own evidence session at the committee.”

A report released by the Scottish Government on Tuesday assessed the progress of its “national mission” on drugs and found that, while there had been a 13% increase in the approval of Government-funded residential rehab placements between 2022-23 and 2023-24, there was “no evidence” of an increase in the number of people seeking other forms of specialist treatment.

The report also said that while the number of deaths from drugs has declined from 2021 – when the mission was first launched – it is harder to tell if the drive is “improving lives”, the second part of its overarching objective.

It also found there was not sufficient data to show if fewer people were developing a problem with drugs, while the number of drug-related hospital stays dropped by 23% in 2022-23 compared to 2021-22.

Responding to the report, Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “Drug misuse continues to claim thousands of lives in Scotland and destroys many more.

“This devastating report is a stark reminder that more must be done to save lives and help people recover.

We will use this report to help us target our efforts and are already working hard to address data gaps

“We need a joined-up approach to get people the support and treatment they need, and prevent problem drug use in the first place.”

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We want every person experiencing harm from drug use to be able to access the support they need and through our national mission on drugs we are taking a wide range of evidence-based measures to reduce harm and save lives.

“These include opening the UK’s first safer drug consumption facility pilot, working towards the opening of drug-checking facilities and widening access to residential rehab and life-saving naloxone. Funding for more than 300 third-sector and grassroots projects has also supported more than 33,000 people.

“The recent people’s panel report recognised progress – but there is more to do. We will use this report to help us target our efforts and are already working hard to address data gaps.

“Record levels of funding for alcohol and drugs programmes were protected in the budget. Total 2025-26 funding has been increased by £2.5 million and now totals around £160 million, including health board baseline funding.”