A total of 20 drug related deaths were recorded in East Lothian in 2023.
Earlier today, Tuesday 20 August 2024, the National Records of Scotland published their annual statistical report on drug related deaths for 2023. Nationally across Scotland 1,172 people died from a drug-related death[1]. For East Lothian, a total of 20 deaths were recorded, 14 men and 6 women. Each one of these deaths represents a tragic loss of life, and our condolences go out to the families and friends involved.
East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership are saddened to see that significant numbers of drug related deaths continue to occur in East Lothian. Regrettably most of the individuals who died in East Lothian were not engaged with any treatment services at the time of death. Reaching people involved with drug use can be challenging, as they often lead isolated lives and face a number of related issues such as poor physical and mental health, and poverty.
ELHSCP wants to pay tribute to the excellent work that staff across East Lothian carryout to address substance use harms, including the implementation of the national Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards, against which Lothian's Alcohol and Drug Partnerships are now ranked 'Green'. Without this important work deaths may well have been higher.
Midlothian and East Lothian Drugs and Alcohol Partnership (MELDAP) treatment services provide rapid access into treatment for people who use alcohol and drugs.
Fiona Wilson, Chief Officer and Joint Director of East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership comments, “We continue to work with partners, including from the third sector and Police Scotland to reduce the harmful impact of long-term drug use and to provide outreach support into communities. We have increased investment in a range of services including improved access to Naloxone [a medication used to block the effects of opioids such as Heroin], peer support and the implementation of the Medication Assisted Treatment Standards that have a focus on access to services and choice within a range of treatment and support.”
“We know that further work is still required to support more people into treatment, and work to achieve this is set out in the respective Alcohol and Drug Partnership Strategies. We also continue to work within NHS Lothian and with our Community Planning Partnership colleagues to address the wider causes of substance use harm, including through poverty prevention work.”
Members of our communities are encouraged to support and assist those affected by their, or others drug and/or alcohol use, to use the services that are in place to offer treatment and support into recovery.