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11. Monitoring Drug-related Deaths
RECOMMENDATION 14 
The definition of a drug-related death must be standardised nationwide with the same definition being used by all involved in its investigation. For instance, a drug-related death could be defined as any death, at any age group, that is directly or indirectly related to the use of controlled substances. This would include accidental, suicidal, homicidal deaths, including those in the very young and in older age groups and excludes deaths from overdoses of other medicinal drugs. This definition would trawl all deaths from benzodiazepines. |
The Executive, following discussion with the General Register Office for Scotland ( GROS), believes the definition currently being used satisfies this recommendation and is a good baseline definition for anyone in Scotland collecting data on drug-related deaths. The Executive would encourage use of this definition as standard.
GROS defines a drug-related death as one where - ' the underlying cause is poisoning, drug abuse or drug dependence and where any of the substances controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) are involved.'
This definition was agreed in 2001 by a working party set up following the publication, by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs ( ACMD), of their report 'Reducing Drug-related Deaths'. The Office for National Statistics also uses this definition in the preparation of data for England and Wales.
GROS works with the SDEA to compare data collected by Scottish forces and ensure that GROS data is consistent with the (Scottish) national drug death database, where a death fits into the GROS definition.
ACPOS has agreed that the information supplied by Scottish forces to the SDEA for inclusion on the national (Scottish) drug death database, can be shared with the National ( UK) Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths (np- SAD). The Programme aims to reduce and prevent drug-related deaths in the UK by collecting and analysing data on the extent and nature of death. Annual reports are published (usually autumn) providing information on deaths that occurred during the previous calendar year.
TAKING ACTION
- GROS will continue to liaise with the SDEA to ensure all relevant data on drug deaths is consistent.
- The information included on the national drug death database administered by the SDEA will now be shared with the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths ( np-SAD).
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