Drug-related hospital stays down for second year, new figures reveal

Hospital stays in Scotland linked to drugs misuse have decreased for the second consecutive year, figures show.

Some 12,474 drug-related hospital stays were recorded in the 2021-22 financial year, the equivalent of 235 stays per 100,000 of the population, Public Health Scotland (PHS) said.

The figure has decreased by more than 1,800, with 14,310 drug misuse hospital stays recorded the previous year, or 270 stays per 100,000 people.

The rate peaked at 283 per 100,000 in 2019-20.

It is thought Covid restrictions could be the reason for the decrease, as PHS notes the number of monthly stays was around a quarter lower between May 2021 and March 2022 than the same months of 2018 and 2019.

Hospitalisation linked to drug poisoning or overdose decreased to 32 stays per 100,000, compared to a 2020-21 peak of 42. It is the first decrease in overdose stay rates since 2012-13. Patients can have more than one drugrelated hospital stay throughout the year.

Treatment for opioids, similar to heroin, was the most common substance stay in 2021-22, at 106 per 100,000, compared to a peak of 141 in 2019-20.

Those in the 35 to 44 age group were most likely to receive hospital care for a drug-related issue.