THE new boss of a drug addiction rehabilitation scheme says a different approach is helping addicts to tackle their problems.

Ian Morris has just taken over as manager of Addaction, a day care referral agency, in Middlesbrough.

His first task has been to oversee the reorganisation of the unit's centre in Elliot Street, east Middlesbrough.

The remodelled centre will be launched officially on May 11. However, Mr Morris is already confident that his project teams and the agencies they work with will have a better chance of helping drug users' rehabilitation.

He said a less structured, more flexible approach was being introduced to day care.

"The new approach retains the basic fundamental feature of stabilisation and gaining commitment of clients within the first 12 weeks, but allows for much greater flexibility," he said.

The Addaction Day Care Programme works with people referred to it from a number of agencies.

The four-member day care team also works with the Criminal Justice Integrated Support Team and the Probation Service to support users who have received drug treatment, testing orders and rehabilitation orders by the courts.