Dozens of drink and drug abusers in Dundee had to wait more than three weeks to get help, new figures show.
Just 82% of those seeking support for the first time for alcohol and substance problems in the City of Discovery were seen within that target time, against a national average of 94%.
That amounts to 60 people going without help for weeks on end, according to Scottish Government figures which cover June to September.
The Scottish Government sets a target that 90% of people who need help with their drug or alcohol problem will wait no longer than three weeks for treatment that supports their recovery.
Dundee Alcohol and Drug Partnership’s lowly 82% performance in that measure – which was the second worst in the country after the Highlands – plummeted on the previous quarter, when 96% received help in less than three weeks.
Tayside’s figure as a whole was 91%, compared with 99% in Fife.
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said: “Due to a short period of unplanned staff absence, the service saw a slight drop in performance in comparison with the months prior to July 2016.
“This has now been resolved and waiting times from September onwards have improved.”
