As the annual toll of drug-related deaths is revealed tomorrow, the national support charity for families impacted by alcohol and drug-related harm says solutions for the crisis will only be found with when their voices are heard by those making decisions about policy and practice – because they “understand more than anyone else what needs to change”.

Last year, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD or ‘Scottish Families’) urged the government to set a target of zero drug deaths.

A year on the charity continues to campaign with those who have lost loved ones and are ‘fighting every day to keep their loved ones alive’.

The Scottish government recently announced “radical proposals” for evidence-based drug policy changes to help save lives. The charity says families need to be heard for change to happen.

As one family member put it: “Families are a key part of the solution and they should be involved in conversations.”

SFAD says families are ‘blamed and judged by others’, ignored and even ‘actively excluded’ from care-planning and service decisions that affect the whole family. The charity adds that bereaved families’ valuable insights and lessons are often lost when they are not invited to participate in service reviews.

Just Ask Families

In its campaign, Just Ask Families, SFAD is sharing the voices of those families who are struggle to access the care, treatment and support their loved ones “desperately need”.

When it asked family members for the changes they want to see and to share their experiences with drug-related harm, SFAD heard of loss, grief, practical and straightforward recommendations for treatment services.

One said: “They die in your heart so many times.”

“It is about always feeling the void – that gap in your life,” said another.

One talked about the importance of ensuring that services and support workers continue to regularly see people once they are considered ‘stable’, rather than reducing that support:

“Recovery and substance use support services need to be revised – if the person is stable and getting a prescription, they see their worker less often. If you use, they see you every week to get a swab off you. This seems the wrong way round.”

Another said it is important for services to work with families and share the support and recovery information:

“Recovery support services do not willingly provide information to family members, and they need to engage more with families.”

One service looking to take a whole-family support approach is the Cowan Grove rehabilitation centre which seeks to help women struggling with drug or alcohol use to remain with their children.

Earlier this year, the government dedicated more that £14m funding to increase residential rehabilitation places as part of its £250m-backed ‘National Mission’.

But one family member questioned whether things are joined up – saying  services need to work together rather than in competition to get their share of this £250m funding:

“It seems that there are lots of different agencies and organisations all in competition for funding and not working together or sharing information.”

Statistics, stigma and seeing change

Despite Scotland’s National Mission to reduce drug-related deaths and harm, the figures for 2021 revealed just a 1% drop in deaths – which previous Drugs Policy Minister, Angela Constance called “unacceptable”.

One family member shared how these statistics are impersonal and that every person affected by drug use or addiction and their families have individual circumstances and experiences, adding:

“I can feel overwhelmed when I see statistics, it can make me feel hopeless.”

Another expressing despair at the lack of progress: “Why is there still no change? WHY? DOES ANYONE CARE?”

Those affected and people working to support them reported stigma. One person said “Engaging with social services was very difficult – they were so judgemental.”

Meanwhile, the media’s portrayal of addiction was also highlighted.

Although people in the most deprived areas of Scotalnd are up to 15 times more likely to have a drug-related death than those in the wealthiest areas, one person explained the impact of over-simplified reporting:

“The media need to change on how they report on drug issues; it is always pictures of needles and dirty alleyways. Why do they portray drug use as being about social class when in reality it can affect anyone of any class or background?”

Justina Murray, CEO of SFAD, said families need to be part of the solution:

“Families affected by a loved one’s drug use understand more than anyone else what needs to change to tackle Scotland’s ongoing drug deaths crisis.

“Every year on this day, there is quite rightly an outpouring of sympathy and condolence for the families left behind. But the same families are not asked to take part in formal drug death reviews to share their insight into what has gone wrong and what needs to change.”

Ms Murray said that treatment services often ignore families’ complaints and when people advocate for their loved ones, they are seen as “awkward and interfering”, adding:

“Families want their rights as carers to be upheld; their expertise to be recognised; and for real change to happen.

“We need to recognise that families have the answers to Scotland’s drug deaths crisis, to hear what they are saying, and to see real change as a result.”

Looking forward to the potential of positive change, one family member told the charity:

“You have hope, but you keep it in your pocket and only take it out sometimes to look at it and remind yourself.”

Read more: Oversight group for government drug action; RADAR system to spot drug death; Drugs oversight group chair appointed; Analysis: drugs and alcohol in Scottish health survey; Health researchers recognise gambling addiction; “Shocking” drop in access to alcohol treatment

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