Board’s concern over drug deaths

NHS Tayside has admitted the rising number of drug-related deaths is “concerning”.

Numbers in Scotland reached record levels last year and Dundee has the highest rate of fatalities in the country.

An NHS Tayside spokesperson said: “Substance misuse is a major public health issue at national level and remains a priority for NHS Tayside.

“The number of drug deaths locally has fluctuated over the past few years, however there has been a concerning rise in the past decade and a great deal of work has been going on to address the problem.

“This has included development of overdose awareness training and the take home Naloxone programme, improvements in communication and prescribing practice amongst practitioners and service development work within the Alcohol and Drug Partnerships to develop recovery orientated systems of care that include early intervention for children of parents affected by substance misuse.

“Early intervention is important to tackle the circumstances that lead to substance use, alongside the provision of co-ordinated, holistic health and social care to address the multiple needs of those at highest risk of drug-related injury or death.

“Substance misuse services across Tayside aim to deliver recoveryfocused care which identifies, assesses and responds to a wider range of issues, recognising the significance of physical and mental health, family, relationship, housing, employment and education in recovery.”

Dr Andrew Fraser, from the Scottish Directors of Public Health, said the children of addicts often go on to have substance misuse problems themselves.

He said: “While Scotland’s health record continues to improve, not everyone is enjoying that improvement equally. Vulnerable young men and women – those in their thirties to fifties – dying from drug-related causes remains high and continues to rise, year-on-year.

“No one makes the conscious, positive choice to become drugdependent, and no one would choose such a pathway if it meant they ended their life tragically and early.

“Drug-related deaths mark lives cut short; all are the sons and daughters of parents, who are often still alive. Most statistics show that many of those who die a drug-related death are known to be fathers and mothers themselves. The cost to children puts a further generation at risk.”