Projected need and demand
The latest data highlights a decrease in the number of hospital admissions, in North Tyneside, due to drug misuse from the previous year, but that numbers locally are significantly worse than the national average. Both regionally and locally, the rate of drug misuse deaths has increased from the previous year, and the North East remains the region with the highest rate across England. There will be a continued need in these areas, and a focus towards a continued decrease in hospital admissions and reducing drug misuse death numbers is important to reduce drug-related harm.
Like many services, drug and alcohol treatment services were impacted during the pandemic. COVID-19 had a continued effect throughout 2021-22 including service users testing positive and not being able to access treatment, staff testing positive and not being able to work, and both groups being ill with COVID-19. These reasons, along with other factors, caused longer waits and reduced access to healthcare (from: OHID. 2024. Adult Drug Commissioning Support Pack: 2023-24: Key Data). Monitoring trends in access to services affected by the pandemic is important to understand future need.