ICES finds people who died from a substance-related overdose faced significant gaps in treatment

The report shows 61% of people who died from substance-related toxicity had prior healthcare encounters for substance use disorder, yet engagement with substance use treatment was relatively low. It also found one in five people who died from substance-related toxicities were treated in hospital for a non-fatal overdose in the year prior to death, the majority of which were related to opioid-related toxicity events. Researchers say the findings reinforce the need for hospitals to ensure they have accessible expertise in substance use care and adequate training for clinicians and staff to ensure the provision of high quality, trauma-informed care for people who use substances who engage with the healthcare system.