This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) and mortality in treatment across Cheshire and Merseyside in 2023 as reported through the IMS DARD surveillance system which is operational in all nine local authorities across the sub-region.

Dataflow from one of the three coroner offices was restricted in 2023, and accordingly caution should be exercised when comparing data for DARDs for those areas related to total numbers either between local authorities or in comparison to previous years.

The Cheshire and Merseyside report is accompanied by separate DARD profile reports covering each Local Authority area:

This data tables report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Cheshire and Merseyside in 2023 as reported through the IMS DARD surveillance system which is operational in all nine local authorities across the sub-region. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

This data report is available as both the PDF data tables document and as an Excel spreadsheet workbook and will be accompanied by the Cheshire and Merseyside Drug Related Deaths Summary Report 2023 which discusses the trends and themes in this data.

This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Knowsley in 2023 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

A total of 42 individual deaths (all causes) were reported across Knowsley in 2023. Between 2020 and 2023, there was substantial variation in the number of DRDs reported for Knowsley. After a decline from 15 cases in 2020 to seven in 2021, there were again 15 cases in 2022 and this increased to 22 cases in 2023

This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Liverpool in 2023 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

A total of 151 individual deaths (all causes) were reported across Liverpool in 2023, a similar level to the total reported from 2022 (n=150). This includes 52 females and 99 males with an average age of 49.

In treatment deaths (all causes) increased by 2.4% from last year, with drug related deaths within the in-treatment population rising 11.5% from 2022.

This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Sefton in 2023 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

There were 51 deaths across Sefton reported to IMS in 2023. The number of Drug-Related Deaths (DRDs) in Sefton remained stable at 26 cases in 2023, following an upward trend from 17 cases in 2020 to 26 in 2022.

This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across St Helens in 2023 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

In St. Helens, there was a total of 48 reported cases in 2023. The number of Drug-Related Deaths (DRD) in St. Helens fluctuated between 2020 and 2023, with a peak of 26 cases in 2022, followed by a 23.1% decline to 20 cases in 2023. Despite this reduction, the 2023 figures remained substantially higher than pre-2022 levels.

This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Wirral in 2023 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

Wirral had a total of 69 deaths reported to the Drug and Alcohol Toxicity Related Death (DARD) and all mortality in treatment deaths reported to IMS in 2023, the majority of which (65.2%) were reported via the treatment provider with the remaining 34.8% being reported by the coroner.

In order to obtain a clearer picture of coroner engagement across the whole of England, the National DARD Intelligence Group which is chaired by staff from PHI agreed to send out a survey to all local authorities across England in order to identify where engagement was good, where it could be improved and where there was little to no engagement at all. Contacts from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) kindly shared the LJMU-created survey with local authorities across England in October 2024 to gather this information.

This report will provide an overview of current engagement of local authorities with coroner’s offices on the basis of responses to this survey. It summarises the positive working elements between local authorities and coroner’s offices; the areas in need of improvement; and recommendations to foster better relationships and engagement

This data tables report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Greater Manchester in 2023 as reported through the IMS DARD surveillance system which is operational in all ten local authorities across the region. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

This data report is available as both the PDF data tables document and as an Excel spreadsheet workbook and will be accompanied by the Greater Manchester Drug Related Deaths Summary Report 2023 which discusses the trends and themes in this data.

This data tables report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) within Birmingham and Solihull in 2023 as reported through the IMS DARD surveillance system. The data is available as both the PDF data tables document and as an Excel spreadsheet workbook.

The Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths review process was implemented in Birmingham at the end of 2023, and at the end of 2024 was also in the process of being implemented in Solihull. The data in this report includes coroner data from the Birmingham and Solihull coroner, which was historically collected from the coroner office, and since 2024 has been provided directly to the Public Health surveillance team at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).

The Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) annual data report presents an overview of all activity recorded in IMS for the 2023-24 financial year together with tables showing year on year change to the previous full year.

This data report presents IMS data, covering presentations to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and other low threshold interventions delivered to individuals by drug and alcohol services, and pharmacies across Merseyside and Cheshire. The data report is available as both the PDF data tables document and as an Excel spreadsheet workbook and is accompanied by the IMS annual report.

Figures for individual service providers covering the 2023-24 year can be found in the 2023-24 Q4 reports for each Local Authority area on the quarterly reports page.

This is the eleventh annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS), which collects data on the use of low threshold services such as Needle and Syringe Programmes (NSP) and brief interventions across Cheshire and Merseyside. It complements the information contained within the IMS data tables document (pdf) or spreadsheet (xlsx).

During 2023/24, there were 34 specialist agencies or projects within such agencies reporting to IMS, alongside 67 pharmacies, totalling 101 different providers of low threshold services across Cheshire and Merseyside

This report details incidence of drug related deaths across Lancashire local authorities (excluding Blackpool and Blackburn) between 2019 and 2024.

The reporting of drug related deaths in Lancashire has been variable over the last five years due to disruptions in data collection. Therefore, it is important to note that while trends can be considered, caution is advised when looking at overall numbers and comparison of cases year on year. However, it is still possible to identify themes and characteristics of cases during this time period.

Because of the new commissioned system now in place for Lancashire, it is not envisaged that there will be any further data gaps for future years. The data has been aggregated by local authority and a summary for each authority is included in this report.

This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Liverpool in 2022 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

This report is the first annual Liverpool specific breakdown which has been funded by the Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery grant (SSMTR). The data contained within this report is intended to provide intelligence on themes and trends within Liverpool using information from the service provider and coroner to detail various findings such as substances implicated in toxicology, causes and verdicts or death and common themes, such as employment, accommodation, and relationship status. The addition of the drug related death prevention co-ordinator role for Liverpool has enabled increased capacity and focus to produce a bespoke and substantial annual report.

This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Wirral in 2022 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner.

This report is the first annual Wirral specific breakdown which has been funded by the Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery grant (SSMTR). The data contained within this report is intended to provide intelligence on themes and trends within Wirral using information from the service provider and coroner to detail various findings such as substances implicated in toxicology, causes and verdicts or death and common themes, such as employment, accommodation, and relationship status. The addition of the drug related death prevention co-ordinator role for Wirral has enabled increased capacity and focus to produce a bespoke and substantial annual report.

This report details Drug Related Deaths (DARD) and mortality in treatment across Greater Manchester in 2022 as reported through the IMS DARD surveillance system which is operational in all ten local authorities across the region. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner. Coroners define drug related deaths as drug poisoning including accidents and suicides involving drug poisonings, as well as deaths from drug abuse and drug dependence. They do not include other adverse effects of drugs such as anaphylactic shock, or other types of accidents; for example, a car crash where the driver was under the influence of drugs.

Report version 2, updated December 2023. The updated report now includes an overview of recent ONS statistics on drug-related deaths.

This Greater Manchester 2022 Drug Related Deaths report is accompanied by DARD profile reports covering each Local Authority area:

This report details Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths (DARD) across Cheshire and Merseyside in 2022 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system which is operational in all nine local authorities across the sub-region. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DARD cases identified by the coroner. Dataflow from two of the three coroner offices was restricted in 2022, and accordingly caution should be exercised when comparing data for DARDs for those areas related to total numbers either between local authorities or in comparison to previous years. However, although area totals are given for some elements of this report, the data contained within is intended to provide intelligence on themes within local authority areas and across the sub-region, rather than to benchmark between different geographies.

Report version 2, updated December 2023. The updated report now includes an overview of recent ONS statistics on drug-related deaths.

This Cheshire and Merseyside 2022 Drug Related Deaths report is accompanied by DARD profile reports covering each Local Authority area:

This interim report details Drug Related Deaths (DRD) and mortality in-treatment across Greater Manchester for the year 2022 reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system which is now operational in all ten local authorities across the region.

Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DRD cases identified by the coroner. Coroners define drug related deaths as drug poisoning including accidents and suicides involving drug poisonings, as well as deaths from drug abuse and drug dependence.

Because of inquest delays across Greater Manchester, it was not possible at the time of this report’s production to identify the majority of coroner reported DRDs which will have occurred across the region therefore, where appropriate, the report also looks at deaths occurring during 2021.

This is the tenth annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS), which collects data on the use of low threshold services such as Needle and Syringe Programmes (NSP) and brief interventions across Cheshire and Merseyside. It complements the information contained within the IMS data tables document (pdf) or spreadsheet (xlsx).

During 2022/23, there were 44 specialist agencies or projects within specialist agencies reporting to IMS, alongside 77 pharmacies, totalling 121 different providers of low threshold services across Cheshire and Merseyside.

There were 5,867 individuals injecting psychoactive substances, such as heroin and crack cocaine, and 5,441 individuals injecting steroids or other image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs), who presented to Needle and Syringe Programmes (NSP) across Cheshire and Merseyside. These numbers represent a 15.7% decrease on the previous year for the psychoactive cohort to the lowest level of presentations since at least 2013/14, but a 13.7% increase for the IPEDs cohort, although activity has not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

The Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) annual data report presents an overview of all activity recorded in IMS for the 2022-23 financial year together with tables showing year on year change to the previous full year.

This data report presents IMS data, covering presentations to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and other low threshold interventions delivered to individuals by drug and alcohol services, and pharmacies across Merseyside and Cheshire. The data report is available as both the PDF data tables document and as an Excel spreadsheet workbook and is accompanied by the IMS annual report.

This report is now updated (version 2) and includes summary tables for IMS cohorts matching to NDTMS treatment data.

Figures for individual service providers covering the 2022-23 year can be found in the 2022-23 Q4 reports for each Local Authority area on the quarterly reports page.

This is the ninth annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS), which collects data on the use of low threshold services such as Needle and Syringe Programmes (NSP) and brief interventions across Cheshire and Merseyside.

It complements the information contained within the IMS data tables document (pdf) or spreadsheet (xlsx).

This year’s report covers the second year in which COVID-19 related restrictions were in place for much of the time, so the possible impacts of these should therefore kept in mind when making comparisons to earlier years. This will be discussed further at the end of this report.

During 2021/22, there were 54 specialist agencies or projects within specialist agencies reporting to IMS, alongside 95 pharmacies, totalling 149 different providers of low threshold services across Cheshire and Merseyside.

This report is now updated (version 2) and includes a summary of NSP data matching to NDTMS treatment data.

The Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) annual data report presents an overview of all activity recorded in IMS for the 2021-22 financial year together with tables showing year on year change to the previous full year.

This data report presents IMS data, covering presentations to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and other low threshold interventions delivered to individuals by drug and alcohol services, and pharmacies across Merseyside and Cheshire. The data report is available as both the PDF data tables document and as an Excel spreadsheet workbook and is accompanied by the IMS annual report.

This report is now updated (version 2) and includes summary tables for IMS cohorts matching to NDTMS treatment data.

Figures for individual service providers covering the 2021-22 year can be found in the 2021-22 Q4 reports for each Local Authority area on the quarterly reports page.

Drug related death remains a significant issue at both a local and national level within England and Wales, with 2021’s death registrations showing a record number of drug poisonings recorded for the tenth consecutive year. England and Wales saw their deaths by drug poisonings rise by 6.2%. Similarly, for Cheshire and Merseyside, ONS data shows a record 284 deaths for drug poisonings including 195 deaths for drug misuse recorded for the region. This represents a 13.1% and 3.1% rise respectively.

This report details Drug Related Deaths (DRD) across Cheshire and Merseyside in 2021 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system which is operational in all nine local authorities across the sub-region. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in-treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DRD cases identified by the coroner.The Cheshire and Merseyside 2021 Drug Related Deaths report is accompanied by appendix reports covering each Local Authority area:

This is the eighth annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS), which collects data on the use of low threshold services such as Needle and Syringe Programmes (NSP) and brief interventions across Cheshire and Merseyside.

It complements the information contained within the IMS data tables document.

This year’s report covers the period of the first full year (2020-21) of the Covid-19 pandemic and accordingly much of the data should be looked at through the prism of restrictions that were in place in the region during this time. This is discussed further in the discussion section of this report.

The Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) annual data report presents an overview of all activity recorded in IMS for the 2020-21 financial year together with tables showing year on year change to the previous full year.

This data report presents IMS data, covering presentations to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and other low threshold interventions delivered to individuals by drug and alcohol services, and pharmacies across Merseyside and Cheshire.

The data report is available as both the PDF data tables document and as an Excel spreadsheet workbook and is accompanied by the IMS annual report.

Figures for individual service providers covering the 2020-21 year can be found in the 2020-21 Q4 reports for each Local Authority area on the quarterly reports page.

Drug related death remains a significant issue at both a local and national level England and Wales saw their deaths by drug poisonings rise by 3.8%. Similarly, for Cheshire and Merseyside, ONS data shows a record 251 deaths for drug poisonings and 189 deaths for drug misuse recorded for the region, representing 13.6% and 11.2% rises respectively.

This report details Drug Related Deaths (DRD) across Cheshire and Merseyside in 2020 as reported through the IMS DRD surveillance system which is now operational in all nine local authorities across the sub-region. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in treatment or recent treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DRD cases identified by the coroner.The Cheshire and Merseyside 2020 Drug Related Deaths report is accompanied by appendix reports covering each Local Authority area:

This is the seventh annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS), which covers low threshold activity such as Needle and Syringe Programme (NSP) use and the delivery of brief interventions across Cheshire and Merseyside. It compliments information contained within the IMS data tables document.

As with last year, we have focussed this report on some of the main findings from the time period it covers; the data tables which underpin these findings can be found in the data table document. In total 58 specialist agencies or projects within agencies reported to IMS, alongside 99 pharmacies, totalling 157 different providers of services across Cheshire and Merseyside, the highest number reporting to IMS since its inception.

The Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) annual data report presents an overview of all activity recorded in IMS for the 2019-20 financial year by drug and alcohol services, and pharmacies across Merseyside and Cheshire. This data report presents IMS data, covering presentations to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and other low threshold interventions delivered to individuals using drugs and/or alcohol.

The data report is available as both PDF data tables document and as an Excel spreadsheet workbook.

This data report accompanies the IMS annual report, and separate local authority overview reports.

Drug related death remains a significant issue at both a local and national level within England and Wales, with 2019’s death registrations showing a new record number of drug poisonings recorded for the eighth consecutive year. Similarly, for Cheshire and Merseyside, ONS data shows a record 221 deaths recorded for the region.

This report details drug related deaths (DRD) across Cheshire and Merseyside in 2019 as reported through the DRD surveillance system which is now operational in all nine local authorities across the sub-region. Deaths reported to the system include any individual who has died while in treatment with a drug or alcohol treatment provider alongside any DRD identified by the coroner.

The Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) annual report presents an overview and commentary on the activity recorded in IMS for the 2018-19 financial year by drug and alcohol services, and pharmacies across Merseyside and Cheshire. This report highlights key points from the IMS data, covering presentations to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and other low threshold interventions delivered to individuals using drugs and/or alcohol. This annual report is accompanied by a separate data tables document which includes a detailed breakdown of all activity for the 2018-19 year.

The Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) data tables include activity delivered during the 2018-19 financial year by 38 drug and alcohol services and 93 pharmacies across Merseyside and Cheshire. This data covers presentations to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and other low threshold interventions delivered to individuals using drugs and/or alcohol, focussing on areas such as wellbeing, demographics and substances used. The data is presented in three distinct cohort groups.

The data tables accompany the IMS annual report which includes cross-matched data from Public Health England (PHE) for individuals reporting to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS).

The annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) details activity delivered during the 2017-18 financial year by 50 drug and alcohol services and 95 pharmacies across Merseyside and Cheshire. The report provides information on presentations to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and other low threshold interventions delivered to individuals using drugs and/or alcohol, focussing on areas such as wellbeing, demographics and substances used. The data is presented in three distinct cohort groups.

This IMS report is also accompanied by a separate supplementary report which contains the supporting data tables.

The annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) details activity across Merseyside and Cheshire over the period of the 2016-17 financial year. The data is presented in three distinct cohort groups; (1) individuals injecting psychoactive drugs, (2) individuals injecting steroids/IPEDs, (3) individuals accessing support related to alcohol or non-injecting drug use. Data from IMS is also cross-matched with the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) and the Criminal Justice Dataset to provide a complete picture of activity within each of the nine Local Authority areas in Cheshire and Merseyside.

The annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) details activity across Merseyside and Cheshire over the period of the 2015-16 financial year. The data is cross-matched with figures from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) and the Drug Intervention Programme (DIP) to provide a report inclusive of every individual in contact with any drug or alcohol treatment/low threshold or syringe-exchange service in each of the nine Local Authority areas in Cheshire and Merseyside.

This is the second annual report for the Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) which details activity across Merseyside and Cheshire over the period of the 2014-15 financial year. The data is cross-matched with figures from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) and the Drug Intervention Programme (DIP) to provide a report inclusive of every individual in contact with any drug or alcohol treatment/low threshold or syringe-exchange service in each of the nine Local Authority areas in Cheshire and Merseyside.

This is the first annual report for the IMS (Integrated Monitoring System), which includes the information previously reported in “Drug and Alcohol Treatment in Cheshire and Merseyside” and “IAD (Inter-Agency Database) NSP (Needle and Syringe Programme)” reports, along with an overview of significant developments in terms of policy and publications in the field of drugs and alcohol research.

The monitoring of Drug and alcohol use across Merseyside and Cheshire goes beyond structured services – the 2012/13 Drug and Alcohol Treatment report brings together all interventions delivered across the region including those provided by low threshold services which work with client groups catered for outside of mainstream provision. The report provides analysis of information collected from ATMS and the GOLIATH (NSTMS) monitoring systems, as well as highlighting developments and research in the field of drugs and alcohol during the 2012/13 financial year.

The IAD (Inter Agency Database) report for 2012/13 brings together data from syringe exchange services provided within an agency and pharmacy setting across Merseyside and Cheshire, with analysis of demographics, substance use and presentations to structured drug services through cross matching with NDTMS data.

This publication details the results of the tier 3 and 4 (structured) National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) and the tier 2 (non structured) Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System (ATMS) in Cheshire and Merseyside during 2011/12.

This publication details the results of the tier 3 and 4 (structured) National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) and the tier 2 (non structured) Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System (ATMS) in Cheshire and Merseyside during 2011/12.

This publication details the results of the tier 3 and 4 (structured) National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) and the tier 2 (non structured) Alcohol Treatment Monitoring System (ATMS) in Cheshire and Merseyside during 2010/11.

Archived quarterly reports from the Inter Agency Drug Misuse Database (IAD) which was established by Merseyside Drug (and Alcohol) Action Teams, Merseyside Police, and the Centre for Public Health in 1997.