Question reference: S5W-00656
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 9 June 2016
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Current status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 21 June 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been on the methadone programme since 2011-12, also broken down by NHS board.
Answer
In October 2015, information services division Scotland published analysis of individuals on methadone based on those prescriptions with a valid community health index (CHI) number. This analysis was published on the ScotPHO website, and can be accessed here, with the caveat that due to sub-optimal CHI capture rates, the estimates should be regarded as a minimum count of individuals on methadone hydrochloride in Scotland. The results of this analysis were:
In 2014-15, methadone 1mg/ml solution was prescribed at least once to 25,170 individuals (based on prescriptions with a valid CHI).
The number of individuals prescribed methadone 1mg/ml solution appears to have reduced from 26,202 individuals in 2011-12.
In 2014-15, 117,578 (or 27%) of prescriptions did not have a valid CHI number. It is not possible to determine how many additional individuals prescribed methadone 1mg/ml solution would have been identified had these data been complete.