National Mission on Drugs: annual monitoring report 2022-2023

1. Executive Summary

Overarching outcome: Reduce drug deaths and improve lives

1,051 people died of a drug death in 2022

• This is a decrease of 21% since 2021

Drug deaths are lower than at the start of the National Mission but remain at a high level. Future work could consider the feasibility of capturing monitoring data to inform the ambition to ‘improve lives’.

Outcome 1: Fewer people develop problem drug use

Prevalence data are not yet available.

• Data will be available in spring 2024.

<1% of people reported having a current problem with their drug use in 2021.

• First year for which data are available.

Progress towards fewer people developing problem drug use cannot be determined at this stage. New prevalence data in 2024 will be a valuable development.

Outcome 2: Risk is reduced for people who take harmful drugs

3,641 ambulance service naloxone administrations in 2022/23.

• A decrease of 26% since 2021/22. A decreasing trend since the start of the National Mission.

235 drug related hospital stays per 100,000 in 2021/22.

• A decrease of 13% since 2020/21. Data for 2022/23 are not yet available.

The data are indicative of a mixed picture regarding whether risk is reduced for people who take harmful drugs. More information is needed to draw conclusions from drug related hospital admissions in particular.

Outcome 3 : People most at risk have access to treatment and recovery

14,055 referrals resulting in treatment starting in 2022/23

• A decrease of 8% since 2021/22. Stable but with some with variation since the start of the National Mission.

100% of ADP areas had referral pathways in place in 2022/23 for people who experience a near fatal overdose.

• First year for which data are available.

The metrics present a fairly stable picture of access to treatment and recovery services, with evidence that processes within these pathways are improving.

Outcome 4 : People receive high quality treatment and recovery services

7,867 people starting specialist treatment who had an initial assessment recorded in 2022/23

• A decrease of 12% since 2021/22.

29,161 people prescribed opioid substitution therapy in 2022/23

• Little change since the start of the National Mission.

812 approved statutory funded residential rehabilitation placements in 2022/23

• An increase of 50% since 2021/22.

Overall, the data suggest that standards of care are improving but this has not resulted in an increase in the number of people accessing specialist treatment. Future work to analyse barriers and needs would improve understanding.

Outcome 5 : Quality of life is improved by addressing multiple disadvantages

Adults who had used drugs in the last 12 months had a mental wellbeing score of 45.4 in 2021

• First year for which these data are available.

People in the most deprived areas are 15.9 times more likely to die of a drug death compared to people in the least deprived areas in 2022

• Broadly unchanged since the start of the National Mission.

It is difficult to draw any firm conclusions on the progress towards improving quality of life by addressing multiple disadvantages Drug related mortality and hospital stays remain concentrated in the most deprived areas. Lower wellbeing is reported by people who have used drugs. There is some positive activity at the ADP level but more insight is needed directly from people using services.

Outcome 6 : Children, families and communities affected by substance use are supported

72% of ADP areas have an agreed set of activities and priorities to implement the Whole Family Approach Framework

• First year for which these data are available.

30% of people would be comfortable living near someone getting help to stop using heroin in 2021/22

• First year for which these data are available.

59% of people would be comfortable working with someone getting help to stop using heroin in 2021/22

• First year for which these data are available.

Positive progress is being made towards supporting children, families and communities. However, further work is needed to consider how experiential data can be gather ed directly from people, families and communities affected by substance use to better inform this understanding.