Scotland’s drug and alcohol deaths remain among the worst in Europe despite increased spending to tackle the problems, a significant report by auditors has found. A national mission on drug deaths was announced in 2021 and last year spending increased to £161.1 million – more than double the figure from 2014.
However Audit Scotland noted there had been no analysis of the cost effectiveness of drug and alcohol services. Progress in improving services has been mixed, it said, with the workforce coming under “immense strain”. The auditors warned a further transition plan is needed for when the national mission funding comes to an end in 2026.
READ MORE: Alcohol harm neglected amid Scot Govt focus on drug deaths Scotland & Alcohol: Find every article in the series here While there has been an increase residential rehabilitation beds, which are up by 8% from 2021, the report said it is unclear if the target of 650 beds by 2026 will be enough to meet demand. In 2023, there were 1,277 alcohol-specific deaths – the highest since 2008. There were 1,172 drug misuse deaths, the second lowest number in the last six years.
Scotland’s drug-induced death rate is the highest in Europe based on the latest available data. At 27.7 per 100,000, it is almost three times higher than the next highest country, Ireland.
There have been further challenges in recent years due to changing drug use habits and the growing prevalence of synthetic opioids. Audit Scotland last formally reviewed .