Almost 100 people died while in drug treatment in Gloucestershire over the last few years, new figures show.

It comes as the number of people in contact with drug and alcohol treatment services across England hit a record high last year.

An organisation working to improve the country's drug and alcohol care and recovery system said deaths in treatment are often due to other social factors linked to substance use, like poverty, and called for more support for people undergoing treatment.

New figures from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities suggest 85 adults died while in drug treatment in Gloucestershire between April 2022 and March 2025, an increase from 78 between 2021 and 2024.

OHID said that while each year some people die while they are in an alcohol and drug treatment programme, these deaths might not be directly alcohol or drug related.

A total of 8,925 people died while in contact with treatment services across England between April 2022 and March 2025, including 4,273 in the year to March alone.

The latter figure accounted for 1.3% of all adults in treatment in the year to March, the same proportion as the previous year.

People with opiate problems represented nearly two-thirds (63%) of the deaths while in treatment in the recent year, and the alcohol only group accounted for 28%.

The statistics also reveal 329,646 adults were in contact with drug and alcohol treatment services nationwide in the 12 months to March.

This marked a 6% increase on the year before and the highest number of adults in treatment since reporting began.

Meanwhile nationally, some 152,067 people left treatment in the last year, with 46% having completed their treatment successfully.

The average treatment length for those leaving successfully stood at 312 days.

Dr Will Haydock, chief executive of charity Collective Voice, which works to improve England’s drug and alcohol treatment and recovery system, said: "Crucially, people are dying from causes other than directly substance use.

"Substance use issues don't occur in isolation from other aspects of people's lives, and are often linked to wider disadvantage related to housing, employment and social connection – which we know affect people's wider health.

"We also know that people who use drugs are under-served by general healthcare, so it's not just about substance use treatment."

He said access to healthcare and support must be improved, along with interventions such as support to stop smoking and better cancer screenings.

He added action from the Government, including the better availability of drugs to help with overdoses, simplifying drug licenses to ensure people know what they are taking and funding and supporting enhanced harm reduction centres, could also help protect people from drug-related deaths.

Robin Pollard, policy lead at WithYou, said: "These treatment statistics show record numbers of people coming forward for help, which is positive, however they’re arriving with much more complex needs – including long-term physical and mental health conditions – and they often face severe health inequalities.

"Many of the deaths which occur while someone is in treatment will not necessarily be caused by drugs or alcohol, but as a result of these long-term conditions, such as from liver disease, heart or lung problems."

He added evidence suggests "people are safer and better supported" when in contact with drug, alcohol and mental health services, but that the Government has failed to provide them with enough funding.

"This public health crisis needs a three-fold approach: saving lives now, supporting long-term recovery, and tackling root causes," he said.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “These figures provide a stark reminder of the dangers of drugs and the associated tragic loss of life.

"This Government is committed to cutting the number of drug related deaths through treatment, advice and support - focusing on deprived areas suffering most.

"We have provided an additional £310 million in 2025-26 to improve drug and alcohol treatment services and recovery support in England, on top of the Public Health Grant, and launched a new campaign to alert young people to the risks of drug misuse."