DIGITAL INCLUSION
THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS
S ince its launch in April 2021, Digital Lifelines Scotland( DLS) has evolved into one of Scotland’ s most significant digital inclusion initiatives, with a primary aim to reduce drug‐related harm.
The ambition of DLS( DDN, Dec 2025 / Jan 2026, page 19) – which is underpinned by Scottish Government Drugs Policy Division funding and delivered by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre( DHI) in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations( SCVO) and others – is to facilitate digital inclusion and design digital solutions that better meet people’ s needs, to improve healthy outcomes for people who use drugs, and reduce the risk of harm and death.
The programme has demonstrated measurable
The success of Digital Lifelines Scotland demonstrates the potential of digital inclusion for transforming lives, says Alan Connor
and system‐level impact through increased digital access, improved wellbeing and strengthened service collaboration – with more than 5,500 people supported, more than 3,000 devices provided and almost 4,000 connectivity packages delivered. Nearly 520 staff and volunteers have also been trained in digital inclusion.
SUSTAINED DELIVERY These figures represent sustained delivery over four years and six funding rounds, and in partnership with 35 organisations – enabling access to services and support for communities that faced digital exclusion. Through collaboration and partnership with experienced addiction service organisations, DLS identified three tiers where the programme needed to make an impact:
1. People have greater access to the digital solutions that keep them safe and enable them to remain connected to family, friends and services, and the confidence, skills and motivation that provides.
2. The services that support these people have the digital means to develop and strengthen the support they provide, and staff that are skilful in using and developing digital solutions to enable those they support.
3. The sector is connected and collaborating, developing joinedup services and exploring digital solutions together.
Co-designing with partners identified key transition points where people were most vulnerable, such as experiencing or being at risk of homelessness, being released from custody or being discharged from hospital or residential services. DLS ensures that time is taken to fully understand the needs of affected people before co-designing appropriate solutions with them. By asking questions, listening to the answers and acting on these insights, a shared set of values has evolved:
» A culture of kindness, compassion and hope which is stigma-free and developed in an equal partnership with those who use services
» Support which adopts the principles of harm reduction in‘ meeting people where they are’
» Integrated case management, which involves the person in decision-making and a shared assessment of risk
» Practice which addresses more than just drug use, and is person-centred and trauma informed.
POSITIVE IMPACT Independent evaluations of DLS found the programme delivered‘ significant results’, including improved digital inclusion and digital literacy, better access to health and support services, reductions
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12 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • MARCH 2026 WWW. DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS. COM