Rise in addiction treatment deaths in Sandwell

Drugs and drug-taking equipment. *01/04/04: A programme designed to get drug-addict offenders into treatment was expanding to 36 new areas Thursday 1 April 2004. The Government scheme aims to crack drug crime by testing offenders for Class A drugs when they are charged by police. They are then referred to drug workers while in police custody and later guided into treatment. *03/11/04: Taxpayers' money is being wasted on ineffective drug treatment courses which are abandoned by nearly half of addicts, a spending watchdog said. Too many drug users start rehab programmes but drop out for 'avoidable reasons' the Audit Commission said. Some addicts may take part in a number of courses before successfully completing their rehab, wasting public money, it added. 'Too many drug users drop out of treatment for avoidable reasons and the importance of staff attitudes to the success of treatment has yet to be fully recognised by local services', said the report.

The number of people who died while accessing addiction treatment in Sandwell has risen, new figures show.

The Transform Drug Policy Foundation said that in order to save lives, more must be done to encourage drug users to enter and remain in treatment.

Department of Health and Social Care figures show there were 20 deaths among adults undergoing drug addiction treatment in Sandwell between April 2019 and March 2022.

This was up from the 19 deaths recorded between April 2019 and March 2022. However, it was equal to the number of people who died between April 2016 to March 2019.

Across England, 7,429 people died while in contact with treatment services in the three years to March 2022 – a 26% increase on the 5,889 deaths recorded in the previous three-year period.

Martin Powell, head of partnerships at the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, said the rise in deaths is likely due in part to Covid-19 preventing face to face treatment.

Mr Powell added: "But against a backdrop of record drug deaths, we should be very concerned that over a third of people are dropping out of treatment, and just 60% of people using heroin are in treatment at all.

"To save lives we must offer services that retain people in treatment, and appeal to those we aren't reaching – including heroin prescribing clinics, overdose prevention centres and crack pipe distribution."

He said the UK should follow Portugal's drug policies by decriminalising drug use to reduce the stigma that deters many from seeking help.

The most recent estimates of opiate and crack cocaine use in local areas show there were thought to be 2,400 people using the drugs in Sandwell in 2016-17.

That was the equivalent of 11.7 users per 10,000 people in the area – well above the national rate of 8.9 per 10,000.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Drug and alcohol addiction can have a tragic impact on people’s health, families and lives.

“We are committed to tackling the root causes of substance misuse with our 10-year Drugs Strategy."

They add the department has invested £95 million of new funding to rebuild drug and alcohol misuse treatment centres and services in England this year, and is also funding specialist alcohol care teams in hospitals with the highest need.