North Yorkshire Police given lifesaving spray to reduce drug-related deaths
Naloxone reverses the effects of someone who's overdosed on an opioid
North Yorkshire Police are being given a nasal spray in an effort to reduce drug-related deaths.
More than 250 frontline police officers have volunteered to carry the life-saving Naloxone which reverses the effects of opioid overdose.
The force has joined 28 other UK police forces by rolling it out to Response and Neighbourhoods Policing Team officers in the initial phase.
It is hoped the scheme will gradually expand in the future.
Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Clarke, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Naloxone is the emergency antidote used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
“If administered within 15 minutes, Naloxone can restore normal breathing to a person if it has slowed or stopped.
“The main cause of premature death among people who use drugs in the UK is drug overdose.
“Many of the reported deaths could potentially have been avoided if Naloxone had been administered, which buys more time for medical intervention by ambulance and hospital teams.
“This really is a life saver.
“While it will not be mandatory for our officers to carry Naloxone, we have urged colleagues to think carefully about the opportunity to save a life and to consider carrying a Naloxone kit.
“I want officers to see it as simply part of a wider set of life-saving first aid measures.
“We wouldn’t hesitate to use a defibrillator on a member of the public who had collapsed with a suspected heart attack.
“We want officers to feel the same way about Naloxone when they come across someone who has suffered a suspected opioid overdose.
“I have directly witnessed Naloxone being used on someone in the effects of an overdose and it was amazing to see how effective it was.
“I personally would not hesitate to carry and use Naloxone - if there’s a spare kit, I’ll be in the queue!”
Craig Bosomworth, Harm Reduction Strategic Lead, North Yorkshire Horizons and Public Health, said: “Expanding Naloxone across North Yorkshire is a key harm reduction priority and North Yorkshire Police is one of many key services that have come forward this year to carry the medicine.
“Every drug-related death is tragic and, in most cases, preventable. Since 2018 we know that Naloxone has been used more than 100 times to save a life which is fantastic, but with further expansion we hope even more lives can be saved.
“The current national threat around synthetic opiates making its way into the illicit drug market increases the chances that police officers will witness an opiate overdose.
“So, I’m thrilled that North Yorkshire Police will join 28 other forces across the country in carrying Naloxone and want to take the opportunity to thank all involved in making this happen.”
First-hand experience of seeing Naloxone in action
PC Heidi McLoughlin is a response officer in Selby and she said: “In September 2022, I attended an address in the Selby area as part of a routine enquiry. The people who lived at the location were known substance users.
"While I carried out my enquiries, I noted that there was a man inside who I knew. He appeared to be asleep in one of the rooms.
"I asked one of the other occupants if this man was OK. They replied that he was fine, and that he had not long been there.
"I completed my enquiry and resumed my patrol.
"Later during my tour, I was approached by the partner of the man who I had seen asleep in the property earlier.
"She was concerned that she had not seen or heard from him all day, as he would normally always get in touch.
"Due to this information, I felt that I should go back to the address that I had been to approximately three hours earlier and check on the condition of the man.
"Upon entering the address, I could immediately see that the man was still asleep and had not moved from the position I had seen him in earlier.
"I asked his associates what he had taken, and although they seemed unconcerned, they replied that he has taken three Xanax tablets (type of Benzodiazepines) but added that he had also taken heroin on top of this. Which, they admitted, they were surprised by, as he normally wouldn’t take that many.
"I went to take a closer look at the man who was asleep, and I was immediately aware that his appearance had changed from my earlier visit.
"He was now much paler, he was sweating heavily, his breathing had become shallow and rapid, and he kept emitting an occasional groan.
"It was at this point that I decided that I needed to call for an ambulance. However, his friends still did not seem overly concerned for his welfare.
"I called 999 and stated that I was concerned that this man had overdosed and explained the type of drugs that I believed he had taken.
"They immediately despatched an ambulance. I was then asked by the call taker whether I had any Naloxone on me, which I didn’t.
"I was asked to see if the man’s friends had any, and one replied that did have some in the nasal version.
"I was given instructions on how to administer the Naloxone by the ambulance call taker, and I relayed this to the friend who squirted the nasal solution up the patient’s nose.
"Within a short period of time the man began to rouse, and within minutes he was awake.
"Initially, he was angry with his friends for administering the Naloxone, as they had brought him out the ‘high’ he was experiencing.
"However, he was not aware of how close to overdosing and potential death he was.
"A few days after the incident, I went to see the man who had been administered the Naloxone. As soon as he saw me, he said ‘thank you’.
"He told me that if I had not done what I did, he knew he would be dead.
"His partner, who had alerted me to her concerns about him, was also immensely grateful for what I had done.
"I have since spoken with both parties on numerous occasions since the incident, and on each occasion, they mention that I saved his life, and without my help, he knows he would likely be dead.”
Harrogate woman whose life was saved by Naloxone
Emma Stone overdosed on heroin and crack cocaine and her life was saved by the nasal spray.
She spoke to the Humankind charity about this experience and how her life turned around.
Emma's father Chris joined her to speak about how proud he is of his daughter's recovery.
She is now employed as a community engager with Red Rose Recovery in Harrogate and is part of the new Peer 2 Peer Naloxone Guardians who will be distributing more naloxone in the community.