THE experiences of people whose lives have been impacted by drugs are to be listened to by the Scottish Government as part of an effort to tackle the ongoing “public health emergency”.

There were 1339 drugs deaths in Scotland in 2020, an increase on the record-breaking 1264 recorded in 2019.

Figures for 2021 will be made available later this year, but estimates in December suggested there had been more than 1000 suspected deaths in the first nine months of the year.

As part of the effort to end the drugs deaths crisis, the Scottish Government has announced a “new National Collaborative to ensure the views of people with Lived and Living Experience (LLE) are reflected in all aspects of the national mission”.

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The Government said this would bring together people who have been affected by drugs to make recommendations about changes to services which could improve and save lives.

The collaborative will be chaired by Professor Alan Miller, a professor of practice in human rights law at the University of Strathclyde, and the inaugural chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission (from 2008-2016).

Regular forums involving people with lived experience and representatives from third sector and public sector partners will be led by Miller and supported by a secretariat from within the Scottish Government Drugs Policy Division.

This will see the rights of people affected by drug use being “recognised in all relevant policy and practice in accordance with the new human rights framework for Scotland”, the Government said.

Dave Kelly, team leader at the charity Change, Grow, Live, said: “I am someone who has lived experience. I have accessed services in the past; I know how hard it can be. I now manage a service and will always try to make things easier for those seeking support.

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“I know that each person has to find the treatment which works for them, and I believe that everyone who has been through this can offer valuable insight to something like the National Collaborative and help them provide recommendations for shaping services which respond better to the needs of the people asking for help.”

Kelly met Miller, and Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance at the Blackburn Recovery Café, one of the community activities the service runs in West Lothian.

Miller said he looked forward to meeting more people with lived and living experience over the coming weeks.

“I am very pleased to take up the position of chair of the National Collaborative to help improve and save lives in what is a public health emergency,” he went on.

“I am committed to bring together and amplify the voices of experience in a way which will empower people affected by drugs.

“This will help improve treatment and recovery services as a matter of urgency whilst also importantly help us all tackle the underlying causes of problematic drug use through anchoring in Scotland’s pending new human rights framework the rights of those affected by drugs.”

Constance added: “Successful delivery of the national mission requires a better way of listening to, and acting on, the voices of those with lived and living experience.

“The people we need to be able to reach and support are some of our most marginalised and excluded citizens and ministers have been clear that it is for those people that the national mission aims to make rights a reality.”