15 - 2025-12-10 IJB - Drug Related Deaths Report and Alcohol Specific Deaths 2024
North Lanarkshire Council · 10 December 2025
Back to Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board — 10 December 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 REPORT Item No: 15 SUBJECT: Drug Related Deaths and Alcohol Specific Deaths 2024 Report TO: Integration Joint Board Lead Officer for Report: Morag Dendy, Head of Performance, Planning & Quality Assurance Author(s) of Report John Holleran, NLADP Strategic Lead Kerry Taylor, Business Support Manager DATE: 10 December 2025 1. PURPOSE OF REPORT This paper is coming to the IJB for: For Approval: ☐ For Endorsement: ☐ To Note: ☒ 2. ROUTE TO THE BOARD This paper has been: Prepared By: Kerry Taylor, Business Support Manager ☒ Reviewed By: John Holleran; NLADP Strategic Lead ☒ Endorsed By: Senior Management Team, North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership ☒
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2 3. RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that the IJB Note the contents of this report 4. Drug Related Deaths 4.1 The National Records Service (NRS) publishes annual statistics on drug- related deaths. The data for 2024 was released on 2 September 2025. In 2024, there were 1,017 deaths across Scotland attributed to the direct effects of drug misuse. This represents a decrease of 155 deaths (13%) compared to 2023 and is the lowest annual total recorded since 2017. However, the rate of drug misuse deaths remains significantly higher than at the start of the data series in 1996. The figure for 2024 in North Lanarkshire was 85, a decrease from the previous year where, 103 people died. While the reduction is notable, every loss of life is significant. Efforts continue in collaboration with communities to enhance services and address the broader inequalities that contribute to drug-related harm. 4.2 The most robust measure for comparing drug-related deaths over time is the five-year age-standardised rate. The following extract from the National Records report provides further detail. Figure 1 - The rate of drug misuse deaths varies across Scotland - Age standardised mortality rate of drug misuse deaths by council area, 2020-2024
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3 4.3 The latest decrease in the number of drug deaths was not seen across all areas of Scotland (Figure 7). The number of drug misuse deaths decreased in 21 council areas, increased in nine areas and was unchanged in two areas. The largest decreases in drug misuse between 2023 and 2024 were in Glasgow City (-61 deaths), City of Edinburgh (-19 deaths) and North Lanarkshire (-18 deaths). These areas also have the highest number of drug misuse deaths, as well as larger populations. With the exception of 2021 and 2022 this is the lowest number of DRDs recorded in North Lanarkshire since 2018. The proportional reduction in drug related deaths is more than triple for females compared to males in North Lanarkshire in 2024. Reduction of 6 deaths (9%) for males (2024 61, 2023 67) Reduction of 12 deaths (33%) for females (2024 24, 2023 36). Lowest number of female deaths in north Lanarkshire since 2019 41 % of all DRDs in north Lanarkshire in 2024 occur in the 35-44 age group, nearly double that of any other age group. Nearly 90% (87%) of DRDs in north Lanarkshire in 2024 occur within SIMD quintiles 1 and 2, with 61% within SIMD 1. This contrasts to Scotland were 74% fall within the 2 most deprived quintiles. In 2024, 4 of 6 localities in North Lanarkshire saw a reduction in the number of DRDs compared to the previous year, 1 stayed the same. Airdrie/Coatbridge/Bellshill came down, Cumbernauld remaining the same and Wishaw saw an increase of 12. Opioids are the most common drug implicated with a slight increase recorded in 2024. The proportion of cocaine implicated for North Lanarkshire fell by 8%. Cocaine was implicated in DRDs in North Lanarkshire in 2024 has changed from being 9% above the national figure in 2023 to 5% below in 2024. Work is continuing via the North Drug Death Review process to identify learning and key actions to support service delivery improvements. Similarly, there is a process in place via the Drug Trend Monitoring Group to respond to new and emerging trends/harms with the NLADP support team working closely with Public Health colleagues to review intelligence and respond appropriately in line with our wider Drug Deaths Prevention work. 4.4 Medication Assisted Treatment Standards The Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards: access, choice, support were published on 31 May 2021. MAT Standards ensure that people receiving treatment for drug use receive a high quality of care and are split into 10 specific standards:
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4 MAT 1: Same Day Access - All people accessing services have the option to start MAT from the same day of presentation MAT 2: Choice - All people are supported to make an informed choice on what medication to use for MAT, and the appropriate dose MAT 3: Assertive Outreach and Anticipatory Care - All people at high risk of drug-related harm are proactively identified and offered support to commence or continue MAT. MAT 4: Harm Reduction at Point of MAT Delivery - All people are offered evidence-based harm reduction at the point of MAT delivery MAT 5: Support to remain in treatment for as long as requested - All people will receive support to remain in treatment for as long as requested MAT 6: Access to psychological therapy - The system that provides MAT is psychologically informed (tier 1); routinely delivers evidencebased low intensity psychosocial interventions (tier 2); and supports individuals to grow social networks MAT 7: Access to MAT in Primary Care - All people have the option of MAT shared with Primary Care MAT 8: Access to Welfare Advice and Advocacy - All people have access to independent advocacy and support for housing, welfare and income needs MAT 9: Mental Health Care - All people with co-occurring drug use and mental health difficulties can receive mental health care at the point of MAT delivery MAT 10: Trauma Informed Services - All people receive trauma informed care North Lanarkshire successfully implemented MAT standards 1-5. Significant progress was made in 2024 in introducing MAT 1 - 5, including same day access to prescribing via the Urgent Response Team. In total, 247 referrals were made to the Urgent Response Team for same day prescribing linked to Opiate Substitution Therapy (OST). North Lanarkshire continues to deliver on the MAT standards and is on track with the next submission for 2025 benchmarking due in March 2026.
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5 4.5 Harm reduction and Assertive Outreach A targeted crisis response team was commissioned via NLADP in 2022, this is delivered by Turning Point Scotland, in collaboration with housing and treatment service colleagues. The service delivers vital support to reach people in crisis sooner, following a high risk event, connecting people to the most appropriate support following a near fatal overdose. This service supports a large proportion of the MAT 3 and MAT 4 engagement and reporting requirements. High risk events followed up from October 2024 – Sept 2025 Total Assertive outreach: 913 Non-Fatal Overdoses attended: 219 Crisis response: 96 Naloxone Kits- 353 Injecting Equipment Provision - 145 4.6 Residential Rehab Residential rehab continues to be made available to anyone wishing to explore this as part of their treatment and care choices, with 26 placements being made between Apr – Nov 2025. Following a review and thematic analysis of the residential rehab pathway by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, NLADP submitted an action plan in August 2025 that will focus on improvements over the coming years in the following areas: High level Theme 4: Detrimental effects on families/carers and friends in relation to (their loved ones) alcohol and/or drug use High level Theme 2: Vulnerable communities have higher rates of unmet need in relation to substance use. High level Theme 1: Certain demographics are disproportionately affected by substance use. 5. Alcohol Specific Deaths 5.1 The national statistics on Alcohol Specific Deaths are produced annually by the National Records Service (NRS) and the 2024 data was released on 23 September 2025. In 2024, there were 1,185 alcohol-specific deaths registered in Scotland, a decrease of 7% (92 deaths) compared with 2023. This is the lowest number of alcohol-specific deaths registered in any year since 2019. After adjusting for age, North Lanarkshire had higher alcohol-specific mortality rates than the Scottish average in the period 2020-2024.
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6 5.2. The most reliable comparison data for Alcohol Specific Deaths is the 5-year age standardised rate and this is an extract from the National Records report. Figure 1 - The rate of alcohol specific deaths varies across Scotland - Age standardised mortality rate of alcohol specific deaths by council area, 2020-2024 5.3 The latest decrease in the number of alcohol-specific deaths was not seen across all areas of Scotland (Figure 2). The number of alcohol-specific deaths decreased in 21 council areas, increased in nine areas and was unchanged in two areas. The largest decreases in alcohol-specific deaths between 2023 and 2024 were in Glasgow City (-29 deaths) and South Lanarkshire (-20 deaths). These areas also have some of the highest number of alcohol-specific deaths, as well as larger populations. Alcohol-specific death rate in North Lanarkshire is 29.2 per 100,000, significantly higher than the Scottish average of 21.4. North Lanarkshire is the 3rd highest area in Scotland for alcohol specific deaths.
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7 Hospital admissions exceed 700 per 100,000, with Airdrie and Coatbridge being the most affected localities. People in the most deprived areas are 5 times more likely to be admitted for alcohol-related issues. In recognition of these challenges, North Lanarkshire ADP hosted an Alcohol Summit in April 2025 which brought together key voices from public health, government, third-sector organisations, clinical services, and communities to address the increasing concern surrounding alcohol-related harm in North Lanarkshire. In total, 139 people attended the event at the Lantern-house Theatre in Cumbernauld. The final report from the event offers a clear action plan for North Lanarkshire with a range of improvement measures that could have a significant impact on reducing harms and improving care for people impacted by alcohol use, their own of someone else’s. 6. Drug and Alcohol Treatment Waiting Times The drug and alcohol treatment waiting times (standard A11) is defined as ‘90% of people who need help with their drug or alcohol problem will wait no longer than three weeks for treatment and no clients will wait more than 6 weeks’. The target applies specifically to tier 2 tier and tier 3 drug or alcohol specialist service providers. These targets have been consistently Report 1 Weeks waited by Service by Financial Year (Number) all Waits. 2024/25 and 2025/26 YTD 10.11.25 service_user_type (All) Financial Year (Referral received) (Multiple Items) Financial Quarter (Referral received) (All) Text Month (Referral received) (All) Count of eocn weeks_waited service_provider wait_status 0-3 weeks 3-6 weeks > 6 weeks Grand Total North Lan Integrated Addiction(Motherwell)Torrance 448 5 1 454 North Lanarkshire Addiction Service (Airdrie) 539 26 1 566 North Lanarkshire Addiction Service (Bellshill) 296 7 1 304 North Lanarkshire Addiction Service (Coatbridge) 384 4 388 North Lanarkshire Addiction Service (Wishaw) 460 8 468 North Lanarkshire Addiction Services (Cumbernauld) 512 6 518 Grand Total 2639 56 3 2698 weeks waited Service/ team 0-3 weeks 3-6 weeks > 6 weeks Grand Total North Lan Integrated Addiction(Motherwell) 99% 1% 0% 100%
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8 North Lanarkshire Addiction Service (Airdrie) 96% 3% 0% 100% North Lanarkshire Addiction Service (Bellshill) 97% 2% 0% 100% North Lanarkshire Addiction Service (Coatbridge) 99% 1% 0% 100% North Lanarkshire Addiction Service (Wishaw) 98% 2% 0% 100% North Lanarkshire Addiction Services (Cumbernauld) 99% 1% 0% 100% Grand Total 98% 2% 0% 100% Morag Dendy Head of Planning, Performance and Quality Assurance CHIEF ACCOUNTABLE OFFICER (or Depute) Members seeking further information about any aspect of this report, please contact John Holleran, NLADP Strategic Lead. john.holleran@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk