40% rise in methadone clients over the decade.

In excess of 9,500 clients received methadone maintenance treatment in 2013 — an increase of almost 40 per cent from levels in 2003 when the programme commenced, IMT reports. According to end of year totals contained in the National Drugs Strategy (interim) 2009-2016 Progress Report to End 2013, published last week by the Department of Health, there were 9,652 clients on the programme as of December 31, 2013. This represents an increase of 2.5 per cent from 2012 when there were 9,419 people receiving methadone treatment. According to the figures, there were 6,833 clients in the first year of the programme. This number went up to 8,523 at the end of 2007, when the next available figures were provided. The number of clients then increased year-on-year to 2010 — 8,718 (2008); 9,047 (2009); and 9,266 in 2010. The number of methadone clients dropped the following year to 9,251, before rising again to 9,419 in 2012. Clients are recorded on the Central Treatment List (a complete register of all patients receiving methadone) as receiving methadone maintenance. At the end of November 2013, roughly 60 per cent of the 9,652 patients had their methadone dispensed by pharmacists in the community rather than in specialist addiction clinics