Comprehensive drugs death database launched
A database of national drug deaths has been established by the Scottish Government in an attempt to reduce future fatalities.
From this month, the details of the medical and social history of everyone who dies from drug related causes will be recorded and centrally collected in order to ‘help inform service providers and policy makers.’
The database is the first of its kind in the UK and follows local pilots. It will include information collected by local DATs or other nominated individuals on things such as drug taking history, involvement with the criminal justice system, whether the person was taking methadone or other drugs and whether they were prescribed, where the person was living and with whom – including children – and whether they were known to services or on a waiting list.
‘Sadly a great number of people die every year in Scotland through taking drugs – over 450 in 2007,’ said community safety minister Fergus Ewing. ‘It’s far too high and we believe many are preventable. Comprehensive information about every life lost to drugs in Scotland will be gathered on the national drug-deaths database – allowing us to look much closer at the circumstances surrounding each one rather than simply counting numbers. The detailed information will be studied to look at emerging patterns or trends and to put in place interventions to seek to prevent future fatalities.’
The database has been launched alongside an overdose bereavement booklet aimed at the families and friends of those who die from a suspected drugs overdose. The booklet, developed by service users in the National Forum on Drug-related Deaths and the Scottish Network for Families Affected by Drugs (SNFAD) will be distributed to GPs, community centres and libraries among others and includes practical information on procedures as well as advice on coping with grief.
‘There can be no more devastating circumstances for a family than the loss of a loved one to drugs,’ said SNFAD chair Eleanor Robertson. ‘Any support that can be given in these circumstances is vital.’