- Minister welcomes progress in key area
The second annual report on the National Mission on Drugs has
highlighted a wide range of initiatives and projects aimed at
reducing deaths and improving the lives of people impacted by
drugs.
It sets out the progress made from April 2022 to March 2023
against the National Mission Plan.
It highlights:
- a total of £141 million invested in drug and alcohol services
and programmes.
- successful rounds of funding to ensure multi-year support for
services of all sizes across Scotland
- £14 million for three new residential rehabilitation
facilities
- the opening of the first national family drugs treatment
service and a new mother and child recovery house in Dundee.
- a rapid review into improving care for people with
co-occurring substance and mental health conditions
The report, also notes significant progress on rolling out
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards, increasing uptake
in residential rehabilitation placements and the availability of
life-saving naloxone. Official statistics for 2022 also saw the
largest year-on-year decrease in drug related deaths and the
lowest annual total since 2017.
Visiting Creative Change Collective in Paisley, to hear about its
work with those recovering from addiction, Drugs and Alcohol
Policy Minister said:
“Since becoming Minister I have visited a number of treatment and
recovery services and seen the transformational change the
National Mission has already delivered. I believe the tireless
work of people across Scotland will have contributed to that
reduction in drug-related deaths and my thanks go to all those
working to provide potentially life-saving, and life-changing,
support.
“Through our £250 million National Mission, we are doing
everything within our powers to tackle drug deaths. It has helped
support more than 300 grassroots projects across the length and
breadth of the country and we have also expanded and improved
access to residential rehabilitation. There has also been
substantial progress in rolling out the Medication Assisted
Treatment (MAT) standards.
“However, the number of deaths is still too high and we know
there is a huge amount of work still to be done. As we near the
half-way mark in our five-year mission, our aim now is to
continue to shape and hone support to ensure it’s reaching those
who need it most.
“We will also increase our focus on a whole-government approach
to addressing mental health, homelessness, justice and children
and families.
“Following the period covered by this report, we have continued
to make progress, supporting moves to establish the UK’s first
official Safer Drug Consumption Facility and drug-checking
facilities. Police Scotland has also completed its force-wide
rollout of naloxone, using the kits more than 300 times.”
Creative Change Collective project director Mark MacNicol said:
“We are delighted to welcome the Minister to watch one of our
recovery groups sharing their work. We are pleased to have been
able to roll our Recovering Voices programme out as a pilot in
four local authority areas thanks to funding from the Scottish
Government via the Corra Foundation. Our unique anonymous drama
model is like drama therapy for people who usually have no
interest in drama or therapy and allows people to express
themselves and explore the impact their addiction has had in a
safe and supportive environment.”
Background
National Mission on Drugs
Annual Report: 2022-23 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
