Hundreds of the most vulnerable people in Scotland have been provided with digital devices as part of a program aimed at reducing drug-related deaths and associated harm.
The £3 million Digital Lifelines programme, led by the Scottish Center for Digital Health and Care Innovation (DHI), supports people at risk of harm from drugs by providing access to some of the most taken-for-granted areas of life, such as connecting with family and friends and online services.
The program has distributed more than a thousand Android smartphones, tablets and laptops through 30 organizations working with support from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organizations (SCVO).
Recipients include those experiencing homelessness, those released from detention, victims of abuse or those leaving hospital or residential services.
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Launched in April 2021, the ‘Digital Lifelines’ program has so far supported more than 1,700 participants across Scotland with devices and connectivity packages that include unlimited data.
Participants in the project say it provides greater safety, security, inclusion and greater access to services such as social services.
The four-year programme, which is an extension of the Scottish Government’s initiative to improve digital inclusion among other excluded groups in Scotland, including older people, has proven so effective that authorities in other countries are monitoring its progress.
Carrie Thomson (Image: DHI)
Carrie Thomson, Digital Lifelines Scotland Portfolio Leader, Digital Health and Care Innovation Center is leading the project. She said: “We all take access to digital services for granted, and unless you have access, the consequences are not truly felt. So much of life – communications, banking, travel, shopping and access to healthcare – now depends on being online, and what lies outside the digital sphere remains closed, the impact of which can be hugely damaging.
“Digital Lifelines provides devices and connectivity to one of Scotland’s most vulnerable groups, giving them greater access to the confidence, skills and motivation they need to be digitally included, as well as creating digital solutions that keep them safe and enable them to stay engaged and engaged with the world. family, friends and related services that support them.
“The number of drug-related deaths in Scotland remains unacceptably high, but the challenges are not unique to this country and that is why this progressive approach has attracted the attention of other nations around the world as well as the UK.”
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He added: “In the 21st century, we need to take many different approaches to reduce harm and deaths from drug use by supporting people and removing the stigma. Digital Lifelines is a prime example of this. The model has also been proven to work with other groups and people at risk of harm from drugs It was designed to help people with
“That is exactly what DHI aims to do – bringing together different services to deliver meaningful outcomes in health and social care across Scotland.”
Some relevant organisations, such as Simon Community Scotland and Aberdeen ADA, also provide access to apps that address acute issues of drug use through the devices.
This includes help and advice on safe application; up-to-date information on new drugs; remote consumption; emergency support; and accessing support to quit drugs.
Despite the vulnerability of many service users, only a small proportion of devices are lost, sold or stolen, and this is due to the high personal value individuals place on owning a device and the connectivity it provides.
Nigel Gallear, Simon Community Digital Engagement Program Manager, said: “Harm reduction is a key aspect of our delivery of Digital Lifelines.
“The vast majority of the hundreds of people we support want access to the everyday things most of us do and take for granted, like reading, social media, messaging friends and family. Digital isolation is incredibly isolating and has a huge impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing, and Digital Lifelines are specifically designed to address this risk.”
Christina McKelvie (Image: PA)
Christina McKelvie, Scottish Government Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy, said: “Initiatives such as the Digital Lifelines Program demonstrate our long-standing commitment to digital inclusion.
“This is important to ensure as many people as possible have access to the improved services, support and health and social care experiences that digital can offer.”