Scotland’s Drug Deaths Taskforce publishes emergency response

Scotland’s Drug Deaths Taskforce has published a paper that sets out six key evidence-based strategies for preventing drug-related deaths.

The primary role of the Drug Deaths Taskforce is to co-ordinate and drive action to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for people who use drugs, reducing the risk of harm and death. The Taskforce members are also involved in monitoring, supporting and facilitating the delivery of key commitments and actions set out in Rights, Respect and Recovery and the related Action Plan 2019-21.

This work is underway, and Integration Authorities, ADPs and other organisations have already started making plans for short-to-medium term local strategies in advance of many of the recommendations that the Taskforce will be making. This paper provides direction from the Taskforce on the strategies which are known to help avoid drug deaths, and so we think it is vital that partners consider how far these are already being reflected in local planning for 2020/21.

You can read the six-point plan below.