drug related A and E and surgical cases

Summary

The requester asked for monthly statistics on A&E attendances and surgical cases involving illegal drugs from April 2020 to the present. Manx Care disclosed monthly A&E data and drug classifications but confirmed that no electronic records exist for surgical cases, citing the exemption for creating new information.

Key Facts

• Information is held electronically only for emergency department patients, not for surgical cases.
• The request for surgical case data was refused under Section 11(3)(b) as it would require creating new information.
• A total of 169 A&E attendances were recorded where illegal drugs were a contributing factor between 2020 and 2025.
• Alcohol intoxication was the most frequent diagnosis recorded, with 1,287 instances.
• Data is broken down by month and specific drug substance for the period April 2020 to December 2025.

Data Disclosed

• 169
• 3205
• 3042
• 1287
• 1027
• 295
• 199
• 139
• 67
• 2020
• 2021
• 2022
• 2023
• 2024
• 2025
• 01 April 2020
• 19 November 2025
• 10 December 2025

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act (creation of information)

Original Request

I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act. Please provide the number of A and E attendances and the number of surgical cases where illegal drug use was recorded as a contributing factor. For example cannabis, cocaine and heroin. I am not asking for names or individual case details. I only want statistical information. Please provide the data broken down by month and by substance for the period 01 April 2020 to the present day. If exact substance is not recorded please state that clearly and provide the categories that are recorded. If monthly data is not available please provide the most detailed breakdown you hold such as quarterly or yearly figures. If no breakdown by substance exists please confirm that no such detail is recorded. If any part of the information cannot be supplied please explain the reason and confirm whether the information is not held or whether it exceeds cost limits. If the request exceeds cost limits please advise how I can refine the request so it can be completed. I am happy to accept the data in any format that is easiest for you to provide.

Data Tables (6)

Full Response Text

Manx Care Noble’s Hospital, Strang Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4R (01624) 650 000

Our ref: 5101165 10 December 2025

Dear

We write further to your request, received 19 November 2025, which states:

"I would like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act.

Please provide the number of A and E attendances and the number of surgical cases where illegal drug use was recorded as a contributing factor. For example cannabis, cocaine and heroin. I am not asking for names or individual case details. I only want statistical information.

Please provide the data broken down by month and by substance for the period 01 April 2020 to the present day. If exact substance is not recorded please state that clearly and provide the categories that are recorded.

If monthly data is not available please provide the most detailed breakdown you hold such as quarterly or yearly figures. If no breakdown by substance exists please confirm that no such detail is recorded.

If any part of the information cannot be supplied please explain the reason and confirm whether the information is not held or whether it exceeds cost limits. If the request exceeds cost limits please advise how I can refine the request so it can be completed.

I am happy to accept the data in any format that is easiest for you to provide."

Response On the Isle of Man, drug laws are governed by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1976, which closely mirrors UK legislation but is separate. Further information can be found at the following web address - www.legislationion.gov.im

Information is only held electronically for individuals who pass through the emergency department and not for those who are surgical cases.

Under S11(3)(b) complying with the request for information would require the public authority to do one or more of the matters mentioned in section 8(3) (things a public authority is not required to do by the Act) to create or derive information from informa tion that it holds which the Department is not required to do under the Act.

The table below shows the required information broken down into year and month.

Year

Month 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Total January 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 February 0 1 1 3 0 1 6 March 0 0 1 3 2 1 7 April 3 1 1 3 4 0 12 May 2 2 4 3 4 4 19 June 31 3 1 3 4 1 43 July 3 2 3 0 1 1 10 August 7 3 4 3 2 2 21 September 6 2 6 0 1 1 16 October 6 0 0 1 1 1 9 November 0 2 1 0 3 0 6 December 10 2 2 2 1 0 17 Total 68 18 24 23 23 13 169

Classification Numbers
Class A Drugs

Cocaine 20

Crack cocaine 2

Crystal meth (methamphetamine) 1

Ecstasy (MDMA) 5

Heroin 24

LSD 1

Methadone 3

Morphine 17

Organic e.g. magic mushrooms 3

Oxycodone 3

PCP (angel dust) 1

Class B Drugs

Amphetamine 1

Barbiturate 1

Cannabis 16

Ketamine 12

Mephedrone (MKAT) 1

Synthetic cannaboid e.g. Spice 1

Class C Drugs

Benzodiazepine 21

Dihydrocodeine 4

GBL (gamma butyrolactone) 1

GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) 1

Nitrous oxide 1

Other opiate drug 29 Prescription Only Total for highlighted Drugs: 169

Aerosol 1

Alcohol : not sold for consumption e.g. meths, antifreeze 4

Alcohol : retail beer / wine / spirits 1213

Codeine 23

Not applicable 444

Not set 7

NULL 1287

Other CNS depressant / sleep-inducing drugs 16

Other CNS stimulant 3

Solvent 1

Unknown drug 37

Grand Total 3205

ECDS Diagnosis Code 1* Count of ECDS Diagnosis 1 alcohol dependence (disorder) 6 alcohol intoxication (disorder) 1287 alcohol withdrawal-induced convulsion (disorder) 67 Drug overdose (disorder) 1027 Drug-induced seizure (finding) 3 hypnotic or anxiolytic dependence (disorder) 5 illicit drug use (finding) 199 opioid dependence (disorder) 14 overdose of opiate (disorder) 139 Uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal (disorder) 295 Grand Total 3042

ECDS Diagnosis Code 2** Count of ECDS Diagnosis 2 alcohol dependence (disorder) 6 alcohol intoxication (disorder) 112 alcohol withdrawal-induced convulsion (disorder) 2 Drug overdose (disorder) 34 illicit drug use (finding) 32 opioid dependence (disorder) 2 overdose of opiate (disorder) 16 Uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal (disorder) 24 Grand Total 228

ECDS Diagnosis Code 3*** Count of ECDS Diagnosis 3 alcohol intoxication (disorder) 10 alcohol withdrawal-induced convulsion (disorder) 1 Drug overdose (disorder) 1 illicit drug use (finding) 1 overdose of opiate (disorder) 1 Uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal (disorder) 2 Grand Total 16

ECDS – Emergency/ Electronic Care Data Set *Code 1 - In the context of the Emergency Care Data Set (ECDS) diagnosis codes, the number '1' corresponds to 'Trauma/injury/poisoning'.

Code 2 - In the context of the Emergency Care Data Set (ECDS), diagnosis code 2 signifies alcohol and/or substance use problems. *Code 3 - ECDS diagnosis code 3 corresponds to Urgent emergency care in the ECDS acuity coding system, which aligns with A&E coding for Majors.

Please quote the reference number 5101165 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely