Digital Platform to Connect People With Substance Use Issues to Support Services

Scotland faces a critical public health challenge with the highest drug and alcohol-related death rates in the UK and Europe. People struggling with substance use often cannot access help during evenings, weekends, or from remote locations, and support services are fragmented and difficult to navigate across different localities. This opportunity seeks digital solutions that help people with substance use issues, along with their families and friends, easily find and connect with trusted support services and treatment options. The solution should work when traditional services are unavailable and create a 'circle of support' involving existing trusted services, community networks, and informal support systems. A successful solution will: reduce unnecessary emergency service calls and NHS demand; enable earlier intervention and harm reduction; be accessible regardless of location or time of day; leverage trusted existing services and community resources; and ideally create feedback mechanisms that improve the support system over time. This directly supports Scotland's Alcohol & Drugs Strategic Plan 2026-2035 objectives for early intervention and expanded support networks.