Chamber and committees

The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) collects information and data on clients entering drug treatment at specialist services in Scotland. Records containing information and data are held indefinitely, in common with other similar databases held by Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25771, on 6 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The use of the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) is reviewed periodically within Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland. New data collection forms were introduced in 1995, 2000, 2006 and 2008 to improve the utility of the database.

ISD''s privacy advisory committee reviews applications for the use of the data for research purposes on demand.

The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) collects information and data on clients entering drug treatment at specialist services in Scotland. Information Services Division (ISD), which is a division of NHS National Services Scotland, holds and processes the information and data. Two steering groups oversee the use of the database. One of these is concerned with the programme of work of ISD''s substance misuse team, including analysis of data from SDMD. The other is concerned with specific, often technical, issues concerning the database and data collection. The membership of the steering groups is drawn from ISD, the Scottish Government and other stakeholders, including alcohol and drug action teams, Health Scotland and Health Protection Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25771, on 6 August 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Individuals are provided with a leaflet, Scottish Drug Misuse Database: Protecting Personal Information. This makes clear an individual''s right to object to Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland making use of their information. It also advises individuals that they may ask ISD to change or restrict the way they use their information and that ISD is obliged to agree if it is possible to do so.

The Scottish Government has provided funding to Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland to establish a system of follow-up data collection for the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD), which had previously collected data only at initial entry into treatment. The enhanced SDMD will provide better outcome data and improve our ability to assess treatment effectiveness. The roll-out of the new system began in April 2008 with Scotland-wide coverage expected by the end of 2009.

Individuals are entitled to refuse to have the details of their treatment held on the Scottish Drug Misuse Database. In such cases the relevant form is not completed or submitted to the database.

The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) collects information and data on clients entering drug treatment at specialist services in Scotland. The database holds records for the period from 1995-96 to 2007-08. The number of individuals for whom information and data were held on the Scottish Drug Misuse Database on 31st March 2008 is presented in the table below.

Total Number of Clients/Individuals¹ Reported to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database, 1995-96 to 2007-08.

	1995-96 to 2007-08
Number of clients/individuals reported to the SDMD	97,863

Source: ISD Scotland (SDMD), Ref: 2009-01699, Date Extracted: 24th July 2009.

Note:

1. Clients identified as duplicates via probability matching were excluded. Caution is necessary when interpreting these figures as individuals may withhold identifying data or report different personal details on subsequent visits. This may lead to the double counting of some individuals.

The information requested is not held centrally.