Drug deaths in Ipswich and Suffolk bucking national trend

There were nine drug related deaths in Ipswich in 2023 a fall of more than a third from the 14 deaths recorded in 2022 and 17 in 2021 6.1 deaths per 100,000 people.

Across Suffolk there were 47 drug related deaths last year the lowest number since 2019 and a decrease from 55 in 2022.

However, it was a mixed story in different parts of the county with East Suffolk seeing a fall from 17 deaths in 2022 to 14 with Mid Suffolk seeing a similar decrease from 9 to 4.

In Babergh it was a different story with deaths doubled from 4 in 2022 to 8 last year while West Suffolk saw a rise from 11 in 2022 to 12 last year.

Across the region last year there were 47 deaths in Cambridgeshire, 125 in Essex and 70 in Norfolk.

England and Wales as a whole saw drug deaths rise by 11% to 5,448 in 2023 the highest figure since records began in 2023.

Brian Tobin MBE CEO of substance misuse organisation Iceni said that there was "no single reason" for the local decline but there appeared to now be a "north/south divide" in terms of drug deaths with London having the lowest number of deaths.

He added that "treatment saves lives".Brian Tobin after being awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Suffolk University in 2016. (Image: Archant) Drug treatment provider Turning Point who have a base in Museum Street said it was difficult to identify why specific local trends in terms of drug deaths, but CEO Clare Taylor also said funding was key.

She said: “Treatment capacity was massively reduced under austerity and funding over the last three years has greatly improved this, but greater certainty around future funding will enable the sector to continue to build services back up.”