Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly report
April 2023

A Management Information Statistics publication for Scotland

Published: 25 April 2023
Type: Statistical report
Author: Public Health Scotland

Drugs

About this release

Our quarterly report

View a printable version of this report.

The Drugs Team at Public Health Scotland (PHS) has compiled this report of drug-related indicators in order to inform action to prevent drug harms and deaths.

The objectives of this report are to:

monitor changes in drug trends, harms and use of services to inform immediate and short-term actions that reduce drug harms
detect potential clusters of harms and recommend appropriate responses

Data and reporting period

Observed changes in indicators may reflect genuine trends in behaviours but may also be influenced by factors such as the configuration of services, or data quality and completeness issues.
This release reports on Scotland-level data. Analysis for some indicators is available by NHS Board in the substance use section of the COVID-19 wider impacts dashboard.
These data may be subject to change. Further analysis of these data will be made available in our Official and National Statistics publications on substance use.
Different time periods may be reported across the different indicators. In all cases, the most recently available data are used. Most charts are based upon a 2-year time series.
Key time periods, during which notable pandemic restrictions were in place, are indicated by reference lines and shaded areas on the charts.

Date of next report

The next release of this publication will be 25 July 2023.

Acknowledgements

This report reflects the collective efforts of different organisations and hundreds of people in frontline and supporting roles who record, organise, analyse and interpret information from a range of sources and services.

We gratefully acknowledge the continued commitment and effort of all those involved.

Update

There was a minor update to this publication on 27 July 2023, in the opioid substitution therapy indicator. The glossary was updated to state that injectable buprenorphine is administered as a subcutaneous injection (previously listed as an intramuscular injection).

Summary of indicators

Police Scotland drug trends bulletin: This update provides information on cocaine and street benzodiazepines.
RADAR intelligence and reports: 23 reports were validated by RADAR between 12 January and 4 April 2023.
Naloxone administration by Scottish Ambulance Service: The average weekly number of naloxone administration incidents was broadly stable between December 2022 and February 2023 (61 incidents per week). The total number of incidents during this time period was lower (793) compared to the same time periods in 2020 (998) and 2021 (920).
Drug-related attendances at emergency departments: The average weekly number of drug-related attendances at emergency departments was stable between December 2022 and February 2023. A total of 1,118 attendances were recorded in this period – 13% lower than in the same time period in 2020/21 (1,284), but 11% higher than in 2021/22 (1,010).
Drug-related acute hospital admissions: The average weekly number of drug-related hospital admissions decreased between October and December 2022. The total number of admissions in this time period (1,815) was considerably lower than expected, compared to the same time period in 2020 (2,736) and 2021 (3,244) (decreases of 34% and 44% respectively).
Suspected drug deaths: The average weekly number of suspected drug deaths was broadly stable from December 2022 to the end of February 2023, compared to the fluctuating trends observed in October and November 2022. There was an average monthly total of 96 suspected drug deaths in December 2022 to February 2023. This was the same average monthly total of suspected drug deaths as in December 2021 to February 2022.
Emergency department toxicology: ASSIST: Between August and February 2022, the ASSIST emergency department pilot made 1,022 detections of 52 different illicit drugs in samples from 190 patients. More than one illicit substance was detected in 87% of attendances. The most commonly detected drug category was depressants (60%), followed by opiates (18%). The most commonly detected individual drug was cocaine (10%), followed by desmethyldiazepam (9%).
Post-mortem toxicology testing for controlled substances: In October and November 2022, the most common drug types detected in post-mortem toxicology were opioids (75%) and benzodiazepines (63%). The most common drugs detected were heroin/morphine (37%) and diazepam (37%). Bromazolam (a new ‘street’ benzodiazepine) was detected in 14% of deaths.
Drug seizures in Scottish prisons: Synthetic cannabinoids were the most prevalent drug type detected in the Scottish Prisons Non-Judicial Drug Monitoring Project between June to December 2022 (detected in 35% of samples). Benzodiazepines were the second most prevalent, detected in 27% of samples, with bromazolam being the most prevalent benzodiazepine detected.
Specialist drug treatment referrals: From November 2022 to February 2023, the average weekly number of referrals to specialist drug treatment services was highly variable and followed the seasonal fluctuation seen in previous years. The number of referrals during this time period (5,691) was lower compared to the same time periods in 2021 (6,074) and 2022 (6,322).
Opioid substitution therapy: The average number of opioid substitution therapy (OST) doses supplied per month was stable in the period from October to December 2022. The number of OST doses supplied during this period was slightly lower than in the same time period in 2020 and 2021.
Injecting equipment provision: The average weekly numbers of injecting equipment provision (IEP) transactions decreased between October and December 2022, while the number of needles and syringes distributed was broadly stable. The total numbers of IEP transactions and needles and syringes distributed during this time period were lower compared to the same time periods in 2020 and 2021.