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Thousands of addicts lost their lives in 2020 when they should have been saved

By Dr. Tim Sandle
Published November 30, 2021

Germans queue up at a Covid vaccination centre in Berlin - Copyright INDONESIA FOREIGN MINISTRY/AFP Handout

Recently released data, presented in the London Evening Standard, reveals that of the 275,896 people who accessed treatment for their drug and alcohol addiction during the COVID-19 pandemic, a staggering 3,726 lost their lives. This is based on the UK population.

Further, the number of addicts who lost their lives whilst already in the treatment process in 2020 rose by a staggering 27 percent compared to the previous year. 2020 saw a rise in the proportion of people dying while in treatment in all substance groups. Those seeking treatment for opiate addiction but who instead lost their lives rose by 20 percent, and those in treatment for alcohol addiction but who instead died rose by a sharp 44 percent.

Drug and alcohol addiction treatment experts UKAT blame treatment services closing their doors to addicts during the pandemic.

Nuno Albuquerque, Head of Treatment for the UK Addiction Treatment Group tells Digital Journal: “The start of the coronavirus crisis was extremely frightening and uncertain. But drug and alcohol treatment is critical care intervention and cannot be simply put on pause. We know that a concerning number of facilities closed their doors to addicts who were already in the treatment process and although it was such a difficult time, it cannot be a coincidence that more people have subsequently lost their lives when they were in fact trying to save it.”

Albuquerque explains that the figures go on to reveal that people in treatment for alcohol alone make up the second largest group (28 percent) after those in treatment for opiates. The number of people who started treatment for alcohol addiction in 2020 rose by 3 percent compared to the previous year- from 74,618 to 76,740 (based on UK government statistics).

Although the numbers are relatively low, there was an increase in adults entering treatment in 2020 to 2021 with ketamine problems (from 1,140 in 2019 to 2020 to 1,444 this year). This is a 27 percent rise in one year and is part of a trend in rising numbers entering treatment over the last 7 years.

The rise in people suffering with mental health illness alongside a substance addiction is also revealed. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of those who started treatment for all substance groups needed mental health treatment as well, but a quarter of them (25 percent) who had a mental health need were not receiving any treatment to meet this need.

Unfortunately, Albuquerque adds, there are still thousands of people suffering with drug and alcohol dependency who aren’t getting the treatment they need.

The new data reveals that there are an estimated 602,391 adults with alcohol dependency in need of specialist treatment, but only 107,428 of them were in treatment for alcohol in 2020/21. This means that an estimated 82 percent of adults in need of specialist treatment for alcohol are still not receiving it.

The story is much the same for those needing help for opiate and crack use. The proportion of estimated opiate users who are not in treatment has continued to rise from 41 percent in 2014 to 2015 to 47 percent in 2019 to 2020. The proportion of crack users who are not in treatment is 58 percent.

Albuquerque clarifies further: “Report’s like these are frightening because each figure is a person, each figure could be your mother, father, grandparent, colleague or friend. Reports like these should be being discussed by Government as a priority, but instead we get radio silence.”

In terms of action taken, Albuquerque outlines: “We have been lobbying for the Government to reinforce ring fenced, protected budgets for drug and alcohol treatment and prevention for some time. The decision to remove these protected budgets back in 2012 has been the catalyst for disaster. It’s time they admitted that and make the change required to help those who need it.”