INVERCLYDE’s first total abstinence drug rehabilitation unit for women is due to open later this year.

The Jericho Society, which already runs a 16-bed centre for men in Bank Street in Greenock, is expanding its services to include females.

The facility will be based at the charity’s Shankland Road premises, which have been used to treat men with alcohol problems.

Once the remaining residents are rehoused the building will be refurbished and then re-open to help women.

Senior project worker Margaret Diamond, above, has been tasked to set up the unit.

She said: “There’s definitely been a need for it — I said 11 years ago we needed a separate place for women.

“I’ve worked in mixed gender rehabs before and they don’t work.” Michael Trail, unit manager at the Bank Street base, pictured, says a sigificant number of women need help in Inverclyde.

He said: “There are around 700 people on methadone in Inverclyde and around one third are women.

“It is part of the government’s exit strategy to get people off methdaone programmes.” The new 10-bedded unit will be a ‘mirror image’ of Bank Street, using the same principles to help people beat addiction.

Michael explained: “We advocate total abstinence from all drugs and alcohol.

“We use sports, drama, group therapy, one-to-one therapy and a 12-step programme, trauma therapy and family support therapy.

“We want to give the women the same chance as the men we help to become productive members of society.” Jericho House opened in Shankland Road in Greenock in 2002 and moved to the Bank Street premises in 2009.

Since then the society has helped 480 men get their lives back on track.

But women who have children face a difficult choice if they want to get help under Jericho’s successful programme, as they must find someone to look after their families until they’re well.

Margaret, who was awarded a British Empire Medal in 2013 for her work, said: “A lot of women have families and we cannot accommodate children, so if they want help they have to make that sacrifice.” This latest venture for the charity comes after they recently received another glowing report from the Care Inspectorate.

The Bank Street unit was given six excellent grades across all aspects of the service for the third time in a row.

Michael says the positive report is due to the dedication of staff and volunteers.

He said: “I’m really proud of the team and proud of everyone involved in Jericho.

“We wouldn’t be able to run the service without the volunteers, the help of the St Vincent De Paul Society and the staff’s dedication.

“People do it for the love of the job.

“It’s reassuring for those who use the service that they know they’re are getting the best treatment.”