Admissions rise for mental healthissues caused by drugs

HOSPITAL admissions for mental health problems caused by drugs have risen by nearly three-quarters in just four years in Leicestershire.

There were 579 hospital admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of drug related mental and behavioural disorders in the area in 2016/17.

This was up 27% from 455 in 2015/16, and was a 72% rise from 336 admissions in 2013/14.

In Leicester, there were 567 admissions, a fall of 13% in a year, although a rise of 59% since 2013/14, when there were 357 admissions.

Across England, there were 82,135 hospital admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of drug related mental and behavioural disorders in 2016/17.

Drugs involved include cannabis, opioids, and cocaine, as well as sedatives, sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication.

Danielle Hamm, Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns at Rethink Mental Illness, said: “Certain drugs have been known to prompt a mental illness – for example strong cannabis known as “skunk” has been linked to schizophrenia.

“We also know that using drugs when you have a mental health problem can complicate your recovery, and can increase the likelihood of self-harm and suicide.”

She said more research was needed into why people were being admitted to hospital, suggesting that factors such as more awareness of the problem and local closures of drug and alcohol units may impact on numbers.

Admission numbers are at a similar level to 2015/16, when there were 81,904 admissions, but more than double the level in 2006/07, when there were 38,170 admissions. The increase from 2006/07 will be partly due to improvements in recording of secondary diagnoses.

This represents 0.5% of all hospital admissions, which is the same as 2015/16, but almost double the rate in 2006/07, according to the figures from NHS Digital.

For admissions with a primary diagnosis of drug-related mental health and behavioural disorders, there were 7,545 admissions in 2016/17.

This is 12% lower than 2015/16 but 12% higher than 2006/07.

Karen Tyrell, spokesperson for drug, alcohol and mental health charity Addaction, said: “People with both mental health and substance misuse issues can find it extremely difficult to access mental health services.

“All too frequently mental health services refuse treatment because a person is not abstinent, or has not been abstinent for a sufficient length of time. This is despite government guidance and best practice.

Getting people connected with community services at an earlier stage could prevent hospital admissions.”

“It’s positive that the numbers have come down over the past year, but we know that there is still a long way to go before they could be said to be acceptable. Harm reduction must be taken seriously and services such as needle exchanges must be adequately provided across the country.”

The number of admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of drug-related mental health and behavioural disorders was highest for patients aged 25 to 34, with 23,255 admissions in 2016/17, and 35 to 44, 23,952 admissions. Overall, 57% of patients were aged between 25 and 44.

However, those aged 25 to 34 are one of only two age groups to have seen a drop in the number of admissions since 2015/16, down 3% from the previous year, with a 5% drop in admissions for those aged 16 to 24. The 25 to 34 age group has also seen the smallest growth in admissions over the ten years, up 52%.

In comparison, while older adults are less likely to be admitted, admission numbers have grown much faster over the 10 years, with 502% rise in admissions for those age 65 to 74, up from 232 to 1,397, with a 491% increase in admissions for those aged 55 to 64, up from 793 to 4,688.

The North West had the highest rate of admissions per 100,000 population for males and females at 314 and 138 respectively.

Hartlepool had the highest rate of admissions, with 498 per 100,000 population. The next highest was Blackpool with 472, followed by Middlesbrough with 463.