Heroin related hospital admissions (FOI)

Request

A

Could you provide data on the number of hospital admissions related to heroin and associated substances, including the heroin replacement methadone? I understand the relevant admission codes are as follows:

a. T40.1: Poisoning: Heroin

b. T40.3: Poisoning: Methadone

c. T40.2: Poisoning: Other opioids

d. F11.3: Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of opioids: Withdrawal state

B

How many prescriptions are there every year for heroin substitutes such as methadone?

C

How many arrests are there for heroin-related offences?

D

How many convictions are there for heroin-related offences?

E

How much heroin has been seized by the police and/or customs?

F

Are there any estimates or data for the number of heroin users in Jersey?

G

What policies and facilities are in place to deal with heroin abuse in Jersey?

H

In view of the increased prevalence of heroin-related problems in the UK over the past few years, have any of these policies or facilities been updated recently?

I

It’s been reported that a few years ago the police estimated the size of the undetected heroin market (compared to detected seizures) by analysing the number of needles dispensed by health. Has any such analysis been conducted recently and if so, what were the results?

J

What is the street price of heroin in Jersey, and how does this compare to the UK?

For all of the above data-related questions (ie, apart from the last four) I would like the answers presented in table form by year, ideally in a downloadable excel spreadsheet, over a meaningful timeframe to allow for the identification of any trend, ie: for at least five, if not ten, years.

Response

Responses are provided by the Health and Social Services Department, States of Jersey Police and the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, as indicated.

A

The table below shows the total number of patients admitted as inpatients to Jersey General Hospital where the described code was used in the primary position. The primary position is used to code the diagnosis that has caused the admission.

Figures of fewer than five have been excluded to prevent the identification of individuals.

B

Health and Social Services Department

It is not possible to ascertain how many prescriptions are issued for heroin use. The tables below show the number of individuals who were referred to the Alcohol and Drug Service for Opiate use and for heroin use year on year coupled with how many people commenced an Opiate Substitution Replacement Programme.

Referrals to Alcohol and Drug Service for problems with opiate use

Opiates include illicit or prescribed opiates such as Buprenorphine, Codeine Phosphate, Dihydrocodeine, Tramadol etc. as well as an emerging problem of dependency on over the counter opiates such as combinations of Ibuprofen and Codeine.

Heroin has not been a significant drug of abuse in the last number of years shown by referral numbers to the Alcohol and Drug Service.

Individuals placed on a Buprenorphine or Methadone Opiate Substitution Replacement Programme

On average there are 120 people at any one time on a Buprenorphine or Methadone programme.

C

Jersey Customs and Immigration Service

We are unable to provide statistics for the number of arrests for heroin related offences. Very often individuals are arrested on general grounds relating to unspecified controlled drugs and the information requested is therefore not held.

States of Jersey Police

The table below shows general possession of Heroin cases dealt with by officers. The quantity of drug seized is usually small as each Heroin deal will usually contain less than 50 mg.

D and E

Jersey Customs and Immigration Service

States of Jersey Police

The following table of cases are intelligence-led and target importers and suppliers of the drug. Two further cases are awaiting trial for 2016.

F

Health and Social Services Department

View the Nature, Extent, Impact, and Response to Illicit Drug Use in Jersey, Dr N McKeagney, Centre for Drug Misuse Research March 2015

This report states that:

"Using mark recapture statistical modelling techniques we estimate that there were 892 problem drug users in Jersey between 2013 and 2014. The confidence interval around that figure is from 639 to 1326. This represents approximately 1.4% of Jersey’s population aged 15 to 64. That figure compares to an estimate of problem drug use for England of .85% 2010-2011 (Hay et al 2012) and 1.6% for Scotland (ISD 2014). In 2001. Similar research undertaken by Imperial College estimated that there were approximately 780 problem drug users within Jersey in 2001."

"There was a view amongst some respondents that the heroin market had declined over recent years and that heroin users already known to law enforcement had changed from heroin to NPS use. However, while there was an acknowledgement of a decline in the heroin market, there was also an acknowledgement by some respondents that the market may be reconstituting itself, possibly due to an increasing awareness amongst heroin users of unknown health risks associated with NPS use."

The Department holds no further data on heroin use in the Island.

G and H

Health and Social Services Department

Treatment for heroin abuse is managed by the Alcohol and Drug Service under the Treatment Protocol for Methadone and Buprenorphine, 9 October 2014, which is due for review in October 2017.

I

Health and Social Services Department

The table below shows the number of needles and syringes distributed to those who are injecting drugs. Drugs commonly injected can include Heroin, other opiates such as Dihydrocodeine, Fentanyl, Tramadol, Buprenorphine, steroids, amphetamine type substances etc. Taking account of referral rates for heroin use it is more likely that this cohort are injecting more of the other opiate type drugs as well as steroids and amphetamine type drugs.
 

J

Seized drug valuations are based on a cost of £1,000 per gram. Information on UK drug prices is not held.

Exemptions applied

Article 25 - Personal information

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005.
(2) Information is absolutely exempt information if –
(a) it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005; and
(b) its supply to a member of the public would contravene any of the data protection principles, as defined in that Law.