The Scotsman, confused on alcohol deaths – against this week or for last week?

From the Scotsman’s David Bol today:

Exclusive: SNP under fire for lack of action to tackle alcohol deaths as focus on tackling drug fatalities. John Swinney has been warned grieving families “deserve the same urgency” in tackling Scotland’s alcohol death crisis as the nation’s drug-related fatalities amid criticism over a lack of action. Two leading charities have told The Scotsman it was “deeply disappointing” the First Minister’s programme for government “contained nothing new” to tackle alcohol harm.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/snp-under-fire-for-lack-of-action-to-tackle-alcohol-deaths-as-focus-heaped-on-tackling-drug-fatalities-9308257

First on action ie treatment, from National drug and alcohol treatment waiting times 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026 Accredited official statistics:

• 7,034 referrals to community-based services started treatment, broadly similar to the previous quarter (7,009).
• Nationally, the Standard was met for referrals to community-based services, with 92.4% (6,501) of referrals starting treatment within three weeks, compared with 92.6% in the previous quarter. Across all substance types, the Standard was met for drugs (94.2%), problematic use of both alcohol and drugs (91.5%) and alcohol (91.4%).

Source: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times-1-january-2026-to-31-march-2026/

Since 2021, when the current system of recording was put in place, NHS Scotland has never failed to meet the standard, other than in prisons. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/show-all-releases?id=20553

Prior to that and going back to 2011 when the standard was first set, there are no reports of ever missing the 90% target.

Treatment of both alcohol, drugs and both, all over target 90% and with statistically insignificant differences between them.

Second, new funding in June 2026:

From the Scottish Government yesterday but, of the MSM, only reported in the Herald, this major announcement:

First Minister John Swinney will today call for a new collective approach to reduce deaths and harms from drugs and alcohol, as he addresses a summit on drugs deaths in Edinburgh.

It comes as a new Alcohol and Drugs Fund, which will provide £36.9 million to frontline services and organisations working with people affected by alcohol and drugs, is launched.

The summit, organised by Public Health Scotland, will bring together health board chief executives, local authority leaders, justice representatives and third-sector partners alongside people with experience of drug and alcohol use, including representatives from family organisations and recovery groups.

Full text at: https://www.gov.scot/news/fm-launches-36-9-million-fund-to-reduce-drug-and-alcohol-deaths/