Drugs-related mental issues lead to record hospital visits

DRUGS are causing record numbers of hospital admissions in Cheshire for mental health disorders.

Figures published by the NHS revealed 985 admissions to hospitals in 2018-19 where the person has a primary or secondary diagnosis of drugrelated mental or behavioural disorders.

That is the highest number recorded since local level figures began in 2008-9.

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

Admissions have nearly doubled from 526 in 20089, and have risen by 12% in a year from 880 in 201718.

Primary diagnoses cover the main reason why someone was admitted to hospital, while secondary diagnoses are those that are present alongside that.

In 2018-19, there were 80 admissions with a primary diagnosis of drugrelated mental or behavioural disorders in Cheshire.

The figures, released by NHS Digital, also include the number of admissions with a primary diagnosis of poisoning through drug misuse.

There were 230 cases in Cheshire in 2018-19, a record number, up from 205 in 2017-18 and 172 in 2008-09.

Across England, there were 96,705 hospital admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of drug related mental and behavioural disorders in 2018-19.

Admission numbers have risen to their highest level since records began in 1996-97.

There were just 19,018 in that year.

There were 7,346 admissions with a primary diagnosis of drugrelated mental health and behavioural disorders in 2018-19.

This was 14% less than three years ago in 2015-16 (8,621), but still 30% higher than in 2008-09 (5,668).

Oliver Hilbery, director of the Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) coalition of charities that focus on social issues, said: “The statistics released this morning show that people experiencing mental health and substance misuse problems at the same time are not getting the help they need.

“Despite national guidance, mental health and substance misuse services often disagree about who should support individuals facing multiple problems, leaving them to fall through the gaps until they reach crisis point.

“Evidence from the MEAM Approach network shows that when local services take a more co-ordinated approach they can improve outcomes for individuals and reduce the use and cost of wider services.

“If individuals are admitted to hospital it should be a priority for their needs to be assessed and for the hospital to ensure a planned discharge, working closely with relevant local services in the community.

“Too often, people facing multiple disadvantage are discharged to the streets and without links to services in the community, meaning they are very likely to return.”

The number of admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of drug-related mental health and behavioural disorders are rising fastest for the over 45s.

While the overall number of admissions more than doubled between 2008-09 and 2018-19 (up 129%), it more than quadrupled from those aged 45 to 54 (up 344%), rose sixfold for those aged 55 to 64 (up 485%), rose eightfold for those aged 65 to 74 (up 717%), and quadrupled for 75 and overs (up 294%).

Across England and Wales, there were 4,359 deaths due to drug poisoning in 2018, up from 3,756 in 2017, and the highest number since records began in 1993.

Two-thirds of the deaths (2,917) were due to drug misuse.

Robin Pollard, policy researcher at drug and alcohol charity Addaction, said: “With drugrelated deaths at record levels, it’s clear our current approach to problematic drug use isn’t working.

“Trying to arrest our way out of the issue has been a monumental failure and the new Government must follow the evidence, treating people with compassion and dignity, not punishment.

“At the same time, there needs to be investment into drug and alcohol treatment to allow services to offer the intense, person-centred support we know works, with a particular focus on the UK’s most deprived areas.”