Recurring concern
Failure to reliably detect illicit drug use
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Request correctionFirst reported 24 Jul 2017•Latest report 4 Mar 2024
What this concern includes
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.
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.
- Reports
- 8
- Individual concerns
- 9
- Date range
- 2017–2024
- Stated actions
- 6
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports 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.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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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.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Stock and mandate near-patient urine drug testing for patients presenting with sedation of unknown cause, making tests available to clinicians.
Stated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Existing urine testing is considered sufficient to inform clinical reviews and substance misuse prescribing decisions.
Stated by NHS England
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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.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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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.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Action
Issued staff guidance requiring first appointments to be face to face and ensuring each service user receives a drug test within 12 months.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Drug-test service users who have not received testing within the previous 12 weeks using urinalysis.
Stated by Waythrough -
Action
Maintain at least 12-weekly drug testing and face-to-face reviews for service users.
Stated by Waythrough
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
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Position
Routine drug screening was replaced by clinically risk-based testing during COVID-19 restrictions, and wider benzodiazepine screening was not considered clinically indicated.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
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Position
Available drug-testing technologies could not detect flubromazolam, preventing its identification through testing.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust -
Position
Humankind, the current Cumbria service provider, was developing its own response and would take forward the reported issues.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
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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.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Assess how to make best use of drug-testing capabilities for offenders on licence.
Stated by Ministry of Justice
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
Other bodies are taking forward substantive work on the concerns, so further College guidance or training would risk duplicating their work.
Stated by College of Policing
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Position
Drug-testing licence conditions must satisfy necessity and proportionality requirements and specified statutory criteria, limiting wider testing.
Stated by Ministry of Justice
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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.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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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.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of monitoring and testing of taxi drivers for compliance with drug-driving limits
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Mandatory drug screening for professional drivers is not planned because police roadside powers address suspected drug or alcohol impairment.
Stated by Department for Transport
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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.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Reiterate the need for absolute discretion to units when notifying them of compulsory drug-testing visits.
Stated by Ministry of Defence
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
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Position
Frequent testing sufficient to ensure detection of all drug misuse is impracticable because traces may leave the body before testing.
Stated by Ministry of Defence
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Position
Education and deterrence through the existing drug misuse strategy are assessed as effective despite testing not detecting every instance of misuse.
Stated by Ministry of Defence -
Position
Advance notification of testing is necessary to plan operational support and manage disruption, although information is to be handled discreetly.
Stated by Ministry of Defence
Data last updated 7 September 2026