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Scotland expands naloxone to community pharmacies
Naloxone will now be available in community pharmacies across Scotland , the Scottish Government has announced . The £ 300,000 Emergency Access Naloxone Scheme will see all community pharmacies holding ‘ at least two ’ naloxone kits – either nasal or injectable .
‘ Through our national mission to reduce drug deaths and harms , we have invested more than £ 3m in widening access to naloxone , including through our emergency services ,’ said drugs minister Elena Whitham . ‘ Police Scotland recently completed a force-wide rollout to 12,500 officers who have used the kits more than 300 times and , according to the most recent statistics , 70 per cent of those who are at risk of opioid overdose are being provided with a lifesaving kit .’
The new scheme would be a ‘ welcome addition ’ to existing services , she said . ‘ We ’ ll also continue to focus on getting more people into the form of treatment and support they need , expand access to residential rehabilitation and drive the rollout of life-saving
WOMEN CAN BE AT RISK OF BEING TARGETED by abusers in ‘ chaotic , intimidating or unsafe ’ drug and alcohol treatment services , according to a report from the Centre for Justice Innovation and Staffordshire University .
Some women were forced to attend mixed-gender treatment groups , which could make it difficult for them to talk about issues associated with their substance use , such as abuse or sexual violence . Others said they felt vulnerable to ‘ predatory males ’ in mixed-sex treatment spaces , the report states .
The findings are based medication assisted treatment ( MAT ) standards where we are making significant progress .’
Scotland introduced a national naloxone programme in 2011 , the first country to do so . However , while the country ’ s drug death figure fell by more than 20 per cent last year – to its lowest level since 2017 – it remains almost four times higher than two decades ago and is still the highest in Europe ( https :// www . drinkanddrugsnews . com / scottish-drug-deaths-downby-a-fifth /). Many people in the sector have also warned about the risks associated with powerful synthetic opioids such as nitazenes and fentanyls entering the country ’ s drug supply .
‘ Everyone seems to know that Scotland has an astonishing rate of drug-related deaths and that was before we saw this emerging trend of new synthetic opioids within the heroin supply ,’ said Scottish Drugs Forum CEO Kirsten Horsburgh in August . ‘ Alarm bells should be ringing all over government and all through the treatment and support services because we are not prepared .’
on interviews at community treatment services – including one women ’ s centre – across three local authority areas in the West Midlands . Participants included almost 30 women in treatment along with 20 practitioners , all of whom had experience of both mixed-sex and women-only provision . One practitioner stated that , ‘ My experience of women coming in to services is that you do tend to get a lot of predatory males attending services as well . I know over the years it was sort of like a hunting ground .’
‘ The government ' s From harm to hope drugs strategy recognises
' Scotland has an astonishing rate of drug-related deaths and that was before we saw this emerging trend of new synthetic opioids .'
KIRSTEN HORSBURGH
Women being put at risk in ‘ intimidating ’ treatment services
that many women are not receiving effective drug treatment , and that changes are needed ,’ said Centre for Justice Innovation deputy director Vicki Morris . ‘ Our research paints a clear picture of how current services run the risk of making women unsafe or failing to give them the support they need . We must take advantage of the government ’ s investment in new treatment places to provide safer , more effective services for women .’ Exploring women ’ s experience of drug and alcohol treatment in the West Midlands at https :// justiceinnovation . org . See feature in next month ’ s DDN
Local News
TRUSTING ENVIRONMENT A new programme to help Merseyside families affected by problem gambling has been launched by the Forward Trust . M-PACT will run for ten weeks at Liverpool dry bar The Brink . ‘ We want to bring back that family unity and togetherness ,’ said Forward Trust ’ s Andrew Greeney . ‘ The programme will help children talk openly and safely .’ Read more on p10
DOWN IN THE MOUTH Nine With You clients who were experiencing severe pain from oral health problems have received ‘ lifesaving ’ dental treatment – including for abscesses and infections – as part of a collaboration with North Somerset Council . In some cases the issues were ‘ leading to increased drug use to selfmanage the extreme pain ,’ says the council ’ s Jenna Ho Marris .
COMMUNITY MOVES The Northumberland Recovery Partnership ( NRP ) has become part of Humankind , with a transfer of 23 staff and four volunteers . NRP provides communitybased recovery programmes alongside support with housing , employment and health , and wherever possible people will continue to be supported by the same staff .
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