Alcohol, drug and medication related deaths

PFD Category
Reports: 548 Areas: 67 Earliest: Sep 2013 Latest: 16 Mar 2026

81% response rate (above 62% average). 55% of classified responses show concrete action taken. Reports rose 36% from 58 (2023) to 79 (2024).

PFD Reports
371 results
Isaac Ingle-Gillis
All Responded
2025-0373 22 Jul 2025 Gwent
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Concerns summary The Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team's lack of access to GP records poses a future risk by preventing comprehensive mental health assessments, despite not altering the outcome in this instance.
Action taken summary The Health Board has commenced work to broaden secondary care practitioners' access to the summary GP record via the Welsh Clinical Portal, including for the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.
Christopher O’Donnell
All Responded
2025-0369 21 Jul 2025 Wiltshire and Swindon
Home Group Limited
Concerns summary The supported living accommodation's policy, which prohibits staff from removing excess medication for safeguarding without resident consent, creates a risk when residents are in mental health crisis.
Action taken summary Home Group has updated its Medication, Welfare Check, and Safeguarding Adults Policies and Procedures to include clearer guidance on medication management and concerns. They have also introduced a vir
Gavin Wheale
All Responded
2025-0350 10 Jul 2025 Birmingham and Solihull
HM Prison & Probation Service
Concerns summary The prison's secreted item policy inadequately addresses ingestion, and the handover from other agencies removes constant supervision, compromising the duty of care for prisoners with concealed items.
Action taken summary HMP Birmingham has committed to updating its Secreted Items Policy to include clear guidance for staff on managing prisoners suspected of ingesting items. Additionally, the prison will issue guidance
Andrew Kenward
All Responded
2025-0346 9 Jul 2025 Surrey
Department of Health and Social Care Home Office
Concerns summary There is no central monitoring for sodium nitrite poisoning, and high-purity sodium nitrite can be easily imported and purchased in lethal quantities without regulation or consideration for dilution, posing significant risk.
Action taken summary The Home Office is researching the availability of sodium nitrite and collaborating with DHSC on legislative options. Border Force issued guidance last year on controlling items intended to assist sui
Sarah Lewis
All Responded
2025-0337 7 Jul 2025 Avon
Department of Health and Social Care
Concerns summary Inconsistent and under-resourced ME services, coupled with a lack of professional understanding and research, hinder diagnosis, validation, and appropriate support for sufferers.
Action taken summary NICE clarifies that the provision of ME/CFS services and professional education is primarily the remit of NHS England and other bodies. They highlight that NICE has already supported e-learning materi
Aaron Atkinson
All Responded
2025-0329 30 Jun 2025 Derby and Derbyshire
National Institute for Health and Care … NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Car…
Concerns summary There is a concern that specialist services may not consistently retain responsibility for, or adequately monitor, the physical health of patients for at least 12 months after initiating antipsychotic medication.
Action taken summary NICE clarified that Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) are not NICE guidance and stated they do not believe annual ECGs are justified for everyone on long-term antipsychotics. However, the CKS publish
Muhammad Qasim
All Responded
2025-0446 25 Jun 2025 Birmingham and Solihull
IOPC College of Policing
Concerns summary Conflicting interpretations of "spontaneous pursuit" guidance and inadequate police training pose risks. Furthermore, the IOPC's investigation priorities led to the absence of a crucial forensic collision report.
Action taken summary The IOPC will update internal written guidance within six weeks to ensure lead investigators assess circumstances, consult with coroners early, and secure a full Forensic Collision Investigation Repor
Susan Young
All Responded
2025-0322 24 Jun 2025 Norfolk
James Paget University NHS Foundation T…
Concerns summary Critical failures included no clinical handover, missing doctor's instructions for cardiac monitoring, and the patient retaining personal medication, creating a risk of further overdose.
Action taken summary The Trust has updated its Trust Transfer Policy and ED Patient Handover Form, which are now in use and have been communicated to staff, with associated staff training undertaken. They have also update
Patrick Viles
All Responded
2025-0313 20 Jun 2025 Inner North London
Complex Spine Clinic
Concerns summary A doctor prescribed medication to a patient with known suicidal ideation shortly after a psychologist recommended urgent psychiatric input, raising concerns about medication safety.
Action taken summary The Complex Spine Clinic clarified that the consultant did not generate any prescriptions for Mr Viles after receiving a letter on 07/07/2024 from his psychologist indicating a potential risk of suici
Simon Hockenhull
All Responded
2025-0295 12 Jun 2025 Cheshire
Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Concerns summary Inconsistent definitions of a 'month' for diabetic medication prescriptions cause supply challenges, leading to inconsistent patient adherence and potential life-threatening health impacts.
Action taken summary The Royal Pharmaceutical Society explained the complexities around medication pack sizes and dispensing regulations, stating that pharmacists use professional judgment and can issue emergency supplies
Michael Barry
All Responded
2025-0296 12 Jun 2025 Essex
Department of Health and Social Care NHS England & NHS Improvement Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Boa…
Concerns summary There is a critical lack of commissioned specialist services for GPs to safely manage patients reducing or withdrawing from prescribed dependency-forming medications, risking avoidable deaths.
Action taken summary NHS England clarified that commissioning services for chronic pain and medication withdrawal now lies with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), while outlining its national oversight role through Controlled
Frederick Ireland-Rose
All Responded
2025-0286 6 Jun 2025 Inner North London
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Department of Health and Social Care
Concerns summary Cannabinoid vape users are unaware of the significant and variable risk of nitazene adulteration in vaping fluids and lack access to Naloxone, posing a high overdose risk.
Action taken summary The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) highlights existing measures including a surveillance system for synthetic opioids and UKHSA alerts and guidance. They detail actions taken to widen nal
Nicholas Gray
All Responded
2025-0283 5 Jun 2025 Essex
Essex Partnership University NHS Trust
Concerns summary The Trust's PSIRF Decision Monitoring Tool contained inaccurate and incomplete information regarding patient contact and self-harm, undermining potential investigation requirements.
Action taken summary Essex Partnership University NHS Trust has already amended its PSIRF Decision Monitoring Tool template, which came into use in January 2024. They have also implemented a more robust governance process
Colin Lovett
All Responded
2025-0265 30 May 2025 Dorset
HMPPS Department of Health and Social Care
Concerns summary Prison staff lack essential diabetes training and understanding of critical attacks. Non-24/7 healthcare and poor awareness among staff risk delayed care and future deaths for insulin-dependent prisoners.
Action taken summary HMPPS disputed the necessity of specific diabetes training for all operational prison staff nationally but confirmed that, following local discussions, a diabetes awareness and guidance document has b
Callum Hargreaves
All Responded
2025-0262 29 May 2025 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB
Concerns summary The rationale for not admitting a patient with complex PTSD/EUPD was unrecorded. Clinicians failed to explore or challenge his refusal to inform his mother about discharge, contrary to GMC guidance.
Action taken summary The Trust acknowledges the importance of family engagement and states inpatient services have already improved information provided to carers at admission. It clarifies that challenging a patient's de
Callum Hargreaves
All Responded
2025-0263 29 May 2025 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Cornwall Council
Concerns summary The rationale for not detaining a patient was unrecorded. Clinicians failed to adequately test or challenge his decision to withhold discharge information from his mother, and record-keeping was deficient.
Action taken summary Cornwall Council Care and Wellbeing has incorporated Mental Health Act assessments into its audit programme to improve documentation quality. It has also developed and disseminated guidance for Approv
Jeanette Sidlow Beech
All Responded
2025-0279 29 May 2025 North Wales (East and Central)
Welsh Government
Concerns summary Critical ambulance delays, exacerbated by significant hospital handover issues and a lack of social care, lead to patients awaiting discharge, blocking emergency departments and severely jeopardizing lives.
Action taken summary The Welsh Government has placed all health boards in Wales under escalation for urgent and emergency care, with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in special measures. It has provided an addition
Julie Beasley
All Responded
2025-0250 28 May 2025 Essex
Essex Partnership University NHS Trust
Concerns summary Inadequate mental health assessments, medication errors, and poor communication with the GP and patient led to missed opportunities to gather critical information. A lack of professional curiosity and poor record-keeping also contributed.
Action taken summary Essex Partnership University NHS Trust has implemented new policies for discharging to GPs and for medicines reconciliation across community services in April 2025. They have also put in place 'STORM'
Callum Hargreaves
All Responded
2025-0259 28 May 2025 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Ministry for Housing Communities and Lo…
Concerns summary A severe shortage of available housing in Cornwall, with high demand and low supply, contributed to the deceased's homelessness and exacerbated his mental health issues.
Action taken summary MHCLG highlights significant investment in affordable homes and over £1.2 billion provided through the Homelessness Prevention Grant since 2018. The government is also introducing a new offence in the
Callum Hargreaves
All Responded
2025-0260 28 May 2025 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Sanctuary Housing
Concerns summary Sanctuary Housing failed to properly investigate cuckooing and property damage for a vulnerable tenant, leading to an eviction notice instead of support, and lacked a clear policy for such situations.
Action taken summary Sanctuary Housing is committed to an internal review of its multi-agency approach to anti-social behaviour (ASB) and cuckooing, and will benchmark its policies against other social housing providers.
Callum Hargreaves
All Responded
2025-0261 28 May 2025 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Cornwall Council
Concerns summary A prolonged dispute between a social housing provider and the Council over rehousing a cuckooed tenant remained unresolved, highlighting a failure to support vulnerable individuals and inconsistent council policies on homelessness applications.
Action taken summary Cornwall Council Housing has established a multi-agency working group to formulate a new Housing Pathway Protocol for vulnerable individuals, expected by December 2025. Housing Options staff have also
Matthew O’Reilly
All Responded CC
2025-0251 23 May 2025 Manchester West
Home Office
Concerns summary Home Office guidance for selling reportable poisons fails to adequately advise online sellers on identifying purchases for self-harm, leading vendors to unknowingly facilitate suicides. Additionally, dangerous websites promoting suicide methods and poison sourcing are readily accessible.
Action taken summary The Home Office refers to a previous response outlining existing measures. It highlights the cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy and the Concerning Methods Working Group. The Online Safety Ac
Samuel Dickenson
All Responded CC
2025-0252 23 May 2025 Manchester West
Home Office
Concerns summary Home Office guidance for selling reportable poisons fails to adequately advise online sellers on identifying purchases for self-harm, leading vendors to unknowingly facilitate suicides. Additionally, dangerous websites promoting suicide methods and poison sourcing are readily accessible.
Action taken summary The Home Office refers to a previous response outlining existing measures. It highlights the cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy and the Concerning Methods Working Group. The Online Safety Ac
Shaun Bass
All Responded CC
2025-0253 23 May 2025 Manchester West
Home Office
Concerns summary Home Office guidance for selling reportable poisons fails to adequately advise online sellers on identifying purchases for self-harm, leading vendors to unknowingly facilitate suicides. Additionally, dangerous websites promoting suicide methods and poison sourcing are readily accessible.
Action taken summary The Home Office refers to a previous response outlining existing measures. It highlights the cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy and the Concerning Methods Working Group. The Online Safety Ac
Mathew Price
All Responded CC
2025-0254 23 May 2025 Manchester West
Home Office
Concerns summary Home Office guidance for selling reportable poisons fails to adequately advise online sellers on identifying purchases for self-harm, leading vendors to unknowingly facilitate suicides. Additionally, dangerous websites promoting suicide methods and poison sourcing are readily accessible.
Action taken summary The Home Office refers to a previous response outlining existing measures. It highlights the cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy and the Concerning Methods Working Group. The Online Safety Ac