Fewer people are using methadone in North Ayrshire a meeting heard. 

Money has been saved due to fewer scripts being handed out by chemists, the council Audit and Scrutiny Committee was told.

Health and social care boss Stephen Brown told the meeting: “Fewer people are reliant on methadone in North Ayrshire. Lower levels are being prescribed.”

The meeting heard work to support addicts has been helping wean them off the heroin substitute, which is available at chemists.

The welcome news emerged when a report was presented to councillors on the financial state of the North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). 

The HSCP could balance its books by April 1 after overspending in previous years and racking up debt. 

The meeting heard the HSCP was due to overspend by about £227,000 according to a projection in December but the cash is being clawed back. 

The partnership has managed to cut back on spending through a financial recovery plan.

Big costs include care homes, looked after children and care packages for people with learning disabilities among others. 

Mr Brown said it takes a few years for savings to be realised. 

Committee chair Councillor Marie Burns said: “I think we are all aware of the challenges, which the partnership has faced.”

Councillors agreed to note the HSCP budget monitoring report earlier this week. 

The report said: “More is being done to ensure the financial sustainability of the partnership and to deliver financial balance for the current year and significant progress is being made to work towards this.”

It added: “The service transformation programme and the delivery of the those service changes will be at the forefront as this will have the greatest impact on the delivery of financial balance and the ongoing sustainability and safety of services.”