This report describes findings from a study linking national databases to examine the factors related to suicide by people under the care of drug and alcohol services. We linked mortality data on people who died by suicide (including probable suicide) to drug and alcohol treatment databases in England and Wales to establish the number of people who died by suicide within recent (12 month) contact with drug and alcohol services. We compared this group to people who had been in contact with drug and alcohol services in the previous year but did not die, to establish risk factors for suicide. We also collected data from serious incident reports into these deaths.

This report is based on deaths that were registered in a 12-month period between 1 October 2021 and 30 September 2022. It describes the clinical and psychosocial risk factors that may inform suicide prevention and makes recommendations for practice to improve safety for people under the care of drug and alcohol services.