Professor John Robertson OBA
From National drug and alcohol treatment waiting times 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 published yesterday:
11,444 referrals were made to community-based specialist drug and alcohol treatment services: 5,369 (46.9%) were for problematic use of alcohol, 4,409 (38.5%) for problematic use of drugs, and 1,666 (14.6%) for co-dependency (problematic use of both alcohol and drugs).
7,050 referrals to community-based services started treatment. Of these, 6,674 (94.7%) involved a wait of three weeks or less. Two NHS Boards did not meet the Standard (Lothian, 88.5%; Highland, 87.6%).
Nationally, the Standard was met for referrals to community-based services across all substances: drugs (96.6%), co-dependency (94.6%) and alcohol (93.3%).
775 referrals were made to prison-based services. Of these, 618 (79.7%) were for people seeking help for problematic use of drugs, 116 (15.0%) for co-dependency and 41 (5.3%) for problematic use of alcohol.
326 referrals to prison-based services started treatment. Of these, 306 (93.9%) involved a wait of three weeks or less. Two out of nine NHS Boards with prison-based services did not meet the Standard (Tayside, 88.5%; Grampian, 74.1%).
Nationally, the Standard was met for referrals to prison-based services across all substances: co-dependency (98.6%), alcohol (96.3%) and drugs (92.1%).
That’s an astonishing performance with around 28 000 over a year, pushing 100% treated in just 3 weeks, quarter after quarter. No doubt critics will try to make something of those who do not turn up for treatment but it’s difficult to see what the service could do about that and I feel sure the critics would not welcome the kind of police state required to get full attendance.
Media coverage in Scotland? none that I can see.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 