Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly report
January 2023
A Management Information Statistics publication for Scotland
- Published
- 24 January 2023
- Type
- Statistical report
- Author
- Public Health Scotland
Harm indicators
Naloxone administration by Scottish Ambulance Service
The average weekly number of naloxone administration incidents was broadly stable between September and November 2022 (69 incidents per week). The total number of incidents during this time period (832) was lower compared to the same time periods in 2020 (1,032) and 2021 (1,176).
Background
Naloxone is a medicine used to prevent fatal opioid overdoses. These data relate to the number of incidents in which naloxone was administered by Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) clinicians.
While these data count multiple overdose patients at the same incident separately, multiple naloxone administrations to the same patient at the same incident are not counted separately.
The chart below shows the weekly number of SAS naloxone administration incidents from 31 August 2020 to 27 November 2022.
Summary
Historic trend
- Until winter 2021, the average weekly number of SAS naloxone administration incidents was similar to previous years, which have generally been characterised by lower numbers of incidents during winter months and higher numbers during summer months.
- In spring 2022, the trend diverged from previous years and, in spite of an increase in April, the number of naloxone incidents has remained relatively stable since January 2022. At the end of May 2022, the number of naloxone incidents was approximately 25% lower compared to the same time period in 2021.
Update
For the most recent time period (5 September to 27 November 2022):
- 832 SAS naloxone incidents were recorded, at an average of 69 per week. Weekly numbers of incidents were generally stable throughout this period.
- The total number of incidents was 8% lower than in the previous 12-week time period (13 June to 4 September 2022) when 904 incidents were recorded, at an average of 75 per week.
- The total number of incidents was 19% lower than expected compared to the same time period in 2020 (1,032 attendances, average of 86 per week) and 29% lower than in 2021 (1,176 attendances, average of 98 per week).
Additional information
PHS was provided with these data by SAS.
For more information, or to analyse this data by NHS board, visit the COVID-19 wider impacts dashboard.
Why we use a 3-week moving average
As these data are highly variable over time, a 3-week moving average has been included in the graph to aid interpretation of trends over time.
Scotland’s Take-Home Naloxone Programme
The Take-Home Naloxone Programme was launched by the Scottish Government in 2011 to prevent fatal opioid overdoses.
Naloxone is a medicine that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It can be given to anyone who is non-responsive and displaying the signs of an overdose (unconsciousness, shallow breathing, snoring, blue lips, pale skin, pin-point pupils).
Anyone in Scotland can carry naloxone. It can be accessed through most local drug services or pharmacies and it can also be delivered to your home through the charity Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs.
Naloxone is very easy to administer.
You can learn more about administering naloxone in a free e-learning module created by the Scottish Drugs Forum.
Information on Take-Home Naloxone distribution can be found in the substance use section of the COVID-19 wider impacts dashboard and in the National Naloxone Programme Scotland Quarterly Monitoring Bulletin, both published by PHS.
Drug-related attendances at emergency departments
Average attendances were stable between September and November 2022 (1,022 attendances). Number of attendances were slightly lower than expected for this time period comparing to similar time periods in the previous two years (1,068 attendances in 2021 and 1,114 in 2020).
Background
A drug-related emergency department (ED) attendance is an attendance for a drug intoxication or overdose, either alone, or combined with alcohol intoxication.
The chart below shows the weekly number of drug-related ED attendances between 2 November 2020 and 27 November 2022.
Summary
Historic trend
- An overall decreasing trend was observed in drug-related attendances at EDs between August 2021 and April 2022, with the lowest weekly levels in the time series observed in the week beginning 4 April 2022 (54).
- Drug-related ED attendances then increased sharply and peaked in May 2022, with the highest weekly levels in the time series observed in the week beginning 16 May 2022 (123).
- Attendances then decreased remaining fairly stable, averaging 83 attendances per week throughout June, July and August 2022.
Update
For the most recent time period (5 September to 27 November 2022):
- 1,022 ED attendances were recorded, an average of 85 per week. This was 3% higher than the previous twelve-week time period - 13 June to 29 August 2022 (990 attendances, average of 83 per week).
- Attendances were slightly lower when comparing to the similar time period in 2021 (1,068 attendances, average of 89 per week) and 8% lower than those in 2020 (1,114 attendances, average of 93 per week).
Additional information
These data are taken from our Accident and Emergency Data Mart.
Diagnosis and reason for attendance can be recorded in a variety of ways, including in free text fields. Therefore, the numbers presented in this report only give a high-level indication of attendances over time.
For more information, or to analyse these data by NHS board, visit the COVID-19 wider impacts dashboard.
Why we use a 3-week moving average
As these data are highly variable over time, a 3-week moving average has been included in the graph to aid interpretation of trends over time.
Drug-related acute hospital admissions
The average weekly number of drug-related hospital admissions were stable between July and September 2022. The total number of admissions in this time period (2,024) was significantly lower than expected, compared to the same time period in 2020 (3,643) and 2021 (3,033) (decreases of 44% and 33% respectively).
Background
The data used in these statistics relate to all inpatient and day case admissions to general acute hospitals (excluding maternity, neonatal, geriatric long stay and admissions to psychiatric hospitals), where drug use was recorded as a diagnosis at some point during the patient’s hospital stay. Data are presented by date of admission.
The chart below shows the weekly number of drug-related admissions to Scotland’s general acute hospitals from 29 June 2020 to 25 September 2022.
Summary
Historic trend
- There was a long-term decreasing trend in the average weekly number of drug-related hospital admissions from June 2021 to April 2022. Admissions briefly increased in April and May 2022, before decreasing again in June 2022.
- The long-term decreasing trend in drug-related hospital admissions observed since June 2021 differs markedly from previous years, which have generally been characterised by lower numbers of admissions during winter months and higher numbers during summer months.
Update
For the most recent time period (27 June to 25 September 2022):
- 2,024 drug-related hospital admissions were recorded, at an average of 155 per week. Weekly numbers of admissions were generally stable throughout this period, ranging from 130 to 180.
- The total number of admissions was lower than expected compared to previous years:
- 44% lower than the same period in 2020 (3,643, at an average of 280 per week); and,
- 33% lower than the same period in 2021 (3,033, at an average of 233 per week).
- The most common substance type recorded in drug-related general acute hospital admissions between July and September 2022 was opioids (47% of admissions).
Additional information
These data have been extracted from our SMR01 dataset.
The data presented on drug type is based on ICD-10 diagnostic codes and is not confirmed by toxicology analysis.
For more information on diagnostic coding, please refer to the drug-related hospital statistics publication methods page.
To analyse the latest published information by NHS Board or by Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP), go to our information on drug-related hospital statistics admissions.
Why we use a 3-week moving average
As these data are highly variable over time the 3-week moving average has been included in the graph to account for this variability and provide an average line.
Glossary
- Opioids
Opioid drugs act on opioid receptors to produce sedative and painkilling effects. They are respiratory depressants (reduce heart rate and breathing). Opioids include synthetic (lab-made) drugs such as methadone and buprenorphine, as well as opiates (drugs made from opium) such as heroin and morphine.
Suspected drug deaths
The average weekly number of suspected drug deaths increased in October and November 2022, following a decreasing trend in recent months. There were 76 suspected drug deaths in October 2022 and 109 suspected drug deaths in November 2022. The number of suspected drug deaths in November 2022 (109) was 17% higher than in November 2020 (93) and 22% higher than in November 2021 (89).
Background
Suspected drug death figures are based on reports from police officers attending scenes of death. The details of these events are recorded by Police Scotland and shared with Public Health Scotland.
Following further investigation, these suspected drug deaths are either confirmed as a ‘drug-related death’ or determined ‘not to be a drug death’. This can take several months so suspected figures are used to provide a timely indication of trends and inform prevention activity.
The chart below shows the weekly number of suspected drug deaths in Scotland from 28 June 2020 to 27 November 2022.
Summary
Historic trend
- Following a large increase in suspected drug deaths in Scotland during December 2020, there was a decreasing trend in the average weekly number of deaths until May 2021. The number of suspected drug deaths increased during summer 2021, peaking at 34 in the week beginning 7 June 2021.
- Between July 2021 and June 2022, the average number of suspected drug deaths remained relatively stable, generally ranging between 15 and 25 deaths per week.
Update
For the most recent time period (4 July to 27 November 2022):
- An average of 20 suspected drug deaths were recorded per week (ranging between 12 and 31). This was slightly lower than for the same weeks in 2020 and 2021 (an average of 22 deaths per week in both years).
- There was an increase in the average number of suspected drug deaths per week during October and November 2022. In the week beginning 31 October 2022, there were 31 suspected drug deaths. This was a 72% increase compared to the previous week (18) and the highest weekly total recorded since week beginning 30 May 2022 (32).
Additional information
Data on suspected drug deaths in Scotland are provided by Police Scotland.
Other data on drug deaths are published by the Scottish Government. Quarterly information on Police Scotland suspected drug deaths includes comparisons with National Record of Scotland’s (NRS) National Statistics and provides details on the age, sex and geographical location of suspected drug deaths.
The information above is management information and not subject to the same validation and quality assurance as Official Statistics. National Statistics on drug-related deaths in 2021 and earlier years – broken down by age, sex, substances implicated and NHS Board and council areas – are published annually by the NRS.
The data provided in this release should not be viewed as indicative of the annual deaths reported by NRS.
Detailed information on drug-related deaths is presented in the National Drug-Related Deaths Database, which is published by PHS every two years. The latest report describes deaths that occurred in 2017 and 2018, with trend data from 2009.
Why we use a 3-week moving average
As these data are highly variable over time, a 3-week moving average has been included in the graph to aid interpretation of trends over time.
Glossary
- Drug-related death
A drug-related death (also referred to as drug-misuse death) is a death where the underlying cause was confirmed to be drug poisoning and where any of the substances that were implicated or potentially contributed to the death are controlled in the UK. National Statistics on drug-related deaths are published by NRS. In 2021, there were 1,330 drug-related deaths in Scotland. This was a small decrease compared to 2020 (1,339), which saw the highest annual total on record.
- Suspected drug death
A suspected drug death is a death where controlled drugs are suspected of being involved. This operational measure used by Police Scotland is based on the reports, observations and initial enquiries of officers attending the scene of death.