Drug-related hospital statistics
Scotland 2023 to 2024

About this release

This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents information on hospital stays relating to controlled drug use in Scotland during the period 1996/97 to 2023/24. The topics covered include: the number of inpatient stays, the number and characteristics of patients admitted to hospital, substances used and geographical variations. These data are published in a full report and dashboard.

Previous releases of this report were accompanied by a Trend dashboard in addition to the Data Explorer dashboard. The Trend dashboard is no longer published, as the commentary and data available there was already shown in the full report and Data Explorer dashboard. 

If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact  phs.drugsteam@phs.scot.

Main points

In 2023/24:

• There were 11,136 drug-related hospital stays (2022/23: 9,654). The European Age-sex Standardised Rate (EASR) of drug-related hospital stays was 212 stays per 100,000 population. This rate was an increase from 2022/23 (186 stays per 100,000 population) but remained below the 2021/22 level (242 stays per 100,000 population).
• In relation to drug types, the highest stay rate (91 per 100,000 population) was for opioids (drugs similar to heroin). This rate was higher than in 2022/23 (83 stays per 100,000 population) but remained below the peak of 144 per 100,000 population in 2019/20.
• The highest patient rate (373 per 100,000 population) was observed among people aged 35-44 years. This rate was an increase compared to 2022/23 (341 per 100,000 population) but remained lower than 2021/22 (425 per 100,000 population).
• Just under half (49%) of the patients with a drug-related hospital stay lived in the most deprived areas in Scotland, as measured using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
• The rate of stays for drug poisoning/overdose increased to 27 stays per 100,000 population, from 22 stays per 100,000 population in 2022/23. This remained below the peak of 43 stays per 100,000 population observed in 2020/21.

he chart shows the change in time between 1996/97 and 2023/24 in the rate of hospital stays in all hospitals, as well as the change in general acute hospitals and psychiatric hospitals. There is an increase in all hospitals and in general acute hospitals over time, with a marked, steady increase from 2012/13 to 2019/20. Since 2019/20, there have been three consecutive years of declining rates, but increases in 2023/24. The number of psychiatric stays varies between 28 and 40 stays per 100,000 over the 25-year period. The current stay rate across all hospitals in 2023/24 is 179 stays per 100,000 population. Source: SMR01 and SMR04 records combined

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Drug-related stay rates by hospital type (Scotland; 1996/97 to 2023/24*)

*Provisional

Background

These statistics provide information on acute hospital activity associated with controlled drug use (substances for which manufacture, possession and use are regulated by government, due to their potential for abuse or harm). They provide valuable insights into trends in substance use, hospital utilisation patterns, and the changing characteristics of drug-related stays, patients and harms over time.

Hospital activity data are based on information routinely drawn from hospital administrative systems across NHSScotland. These statistics relate to all inpatient and day cases (excluding maternity, neonatal and geriatric long stay) discharged from general acute and psychiatric hospitals (including paediatric facilities).

Rates referred to in this publication are European Age-sex Standardised Rates (EASR) per 100,000 population. EASRs are used in instances where rates differ by age and sex, leading to problems making comparisons over time as the population age-sex structure changes. EASRs allow valid comparisons to be made between local areas and other countries with differing population age-sex structures.

For further background information, methods and glossary of terms please refer to the full report.

Further information

The next release of this publication will be Winter 2025.