The number of patients being admitted to Scotland’s hospitals because of drugs has fallen to the lowest level in almost a decade, according to the latest figures.
New figures for 2022-23 showed that 7,575 patients spent time in hospital because of drugs.
With some patients needing treatment more than once, there were a total of 9,663 drug-related hospital stays over the course of the year, Public Health Scotland’s data showed.
Meanwhile, 3,657 patients in hospital for drugs in 2022-23 were classed as new patients – meaning they had not had a drug-related hospital stay in the past 10 years.
With 48% of patients in this category, it was the second year in a row that less than half of those having a drug-related hospital stay were new patients.
The figures also showed that less than two thirds (64%) of the patients admitted in 2022-23 were aged less than 45 years – with this down from a peak of having 95% of patients in this age group in 1999-2000.
Overall, looking at the number of drug-related hospital stays, patients, and new patients, Public Health Scotland said that the “rates observed in 2022-23 were the lowest since 2014-15”.
Meanwhile the stay rate – of 182 drug-related hospital stays per 100,000 people – had fallen for the third consecutive year, with this down from a peak of 283 per 100,000 of the population in 2019-20.
Just under half (48%) of those who spent time in hospital because of drugs came from Scotland’s most deprived communities.
But Public Health Scotland noted that people in these areas “generally accounted for just over half” of all drug-related hospital stays.
Their report added: “While not a marked reduction, 2022-23 saw the lowest percentage of drug-related hospital stays for this group in the time series.”
Drugs and alcohol policy minister Christina McKelvie said: “Through our £250 million national mission we are expanding access to a variety of support, including residential rehabilitation and rolling out medication assisted treatment standards to reduce drug deaths and harms and ensure that care is available to everyone who requires it.
“We have increased funding to community organisations and supported innovative safer drug consumption facilities and drug checking services which will test for potential contamination.
“This is helping families and communities affected by problem drug use.”