Includes failures of controls specifically intended to detect illicit drug use, including drug-testing regimes, offender monitoring or comparable safety-critical detection arrangements, where the reports identify that illicit drug use could occur without being detected.
What is not included
Excludes controls concerned solely with preventing drug access or supply, treating intoxication, or providing drug-related support when no failure to detect illicit drug use is identified.
Excludes detection of prescription medicines, medication misuse or non-illicit substances unless the assertion explicitly concerns illicit drug use.
Excludes generic monitoring, testing or information-sharing deficiencies where illicit drug-use detection is not the bounded safety concern.
Excludes isolated factual drug-use outcomes without an identified deficiency in a dedicated detection control.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Ministry of Justice2
Birmingham City Council1
College of Policing1
Department for Education1
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust1
Haulage Contractors Ltd1
Health and Safety Executive1
Home Office1
Learning Together CIC1
Ministry of Defence1
NHS England1
Office for Students1
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust1
Probation Service1
Recipient name withheld1
Ministerial department3
NHS trust3
Type not available2
English metropolitan district council1
Executive non-departmental public body1
Higher education regulator1
National policing body1
Other public body1
Police force1
Prison or young offender institution1
Registered provider of social housing1
Sub-organisation1
University1
Workplace safety regulator1
Reports and published responses 8 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
Inner West London
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of near-patient illicit-drug testing for assessing intoxication
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
NHS England
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Stock and mandate near-patient urine drug testing for patients presenting with sedation of unknown cause, making tests available to clinicians.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
NHS England
Existing urine testing is considered sufficient to inform clinical reviews and substance misuse prescribing decisions.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Hertfordshire
Concerns raised1
Failure to complete suspicion drug tests
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Cumbria
Concerns raised1
Failure to test drug and alcohol service clients for drug use
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Waythrough
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Issued staff guidance requiring first appointments to be face to face and ensuring each service user receives a drug test within 12 months.
Waythrough
Drug-test service users who have not received testing within the previous 12 weeks using urinalysis.
Waythrough
Maintain at least 12-weekly drug testing and face-to-face reviews for service users.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Routine drug screening was replaced by clinically risk-based testing during COVID-19 restrictions, and wider benzodiazepine screening was not considered clinically indicated.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Available drug-testing technologies could not detect flubromazolam, preventing its identification through testing.
Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Humankind, the current Cumbria service provider, was developing its own response and would take forward the reported issues.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
London City
Concerns raised1
Failure to detect Class A drug use by terrorist offenders on licence
This report raised 23 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
College of Policing
Ministry of Justice
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Ministry of Justice
Assess how to make best use of drug-testing capabilities for offenders on licence.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
College of Policing
Other bodies are taking forward substantive work on the concerns, so further College guidance or training would risk duplicating their work.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Ministry of Justice
Drug-testing licence conditions must satisfy necessity and proportionality requirements and specified statutory criteria, limiting wider testing.
Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
South Yorkshire (Western)
Concerns raised1
Failure to maintain random drug testing for people not resident at a Probation Hostel
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
North Wales (East and Central)
Concerns raised1
Lack of random drug testing for drivers operating heavy machinery
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Birmingham and Solihull
Concerns raised1
Lack of monitoring and testing of taxi drivers for compliance with drug-driving limits
Linked response
Department for Transport
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Department for Transport
Mandatory drug screening for professional drivers is not planned because police roadside powers address suspected drug or alcohol impairment.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Manchester City
Concerns raised2
Failure of army drug-testing to detect illicit drug use
Failure of drug testing to remain random and unannounced
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Ministry of Defence
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Ministry of Defence
Reiterate the need for absolute discretion to units when notifying them of compulsory drug-testing visits.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Ministry of Defence
Frequent testing sufficient to ensure detection of all drug misuse is impracticable because traces may leave the body before testing.
Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Ministry of Defence
Education and deterrence through the existing drug misuse strategy are assessed as effective despite testing not detecting every instance of misuse.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Ministry of Defence
Advance notification of testing is necessary to plan operational support and manage disruption, although information is to be handled discreetly.
Unable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.