BMJ 1994;309:955-956 (8 October)

Letters

Methadone maintenance in general practice

EDITOR, - Philip Wilson and colleagues reported encouraging health gains in drug users receiving methadone maintenance treatment in general practice.1 We were concerned, however, that their reported cost of pounds sterling 2000 per patient per year may be seen by general practitioners as too high and thus dissuade them from providing a similar service. In fact, the real budgetary cost is less than that reported and should include only counsellor time, drug cost, and some toxicological costs. In support of this, we illustrate how some costs cited by Wilson and colleagues are superfluous.

Primarily, the general practitioner and practice time represents an opportunity cost unless patients are congregated in one or two practices, while the dispensing fees are paid from non-cash limited monies held at government level. This total is set annually according to an agreed global sum and is not increased with the creation of services such as the . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Methadone maintenance in general practice: patients, workload, and outcomes
P Wilson, R Watson, and G E Ralston
BMJ 1994 309: 641-644. [Abstract] [Full Text]

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