A new corporate policy on the safe and legal use of naloxone - a drug that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose - was approved by elected members at a meeting of the Full Council.
The new policy will guide the training of any staff who voluntarily wish to be supported in the use of naloxone in their daily service duties.
Drug related deaths in Scotland and Stirling continue to be a major concern, with the latest figures from the National Records of Scotland showing the number of deaths has risen in Stirling from 9 in 2016 to 19 in 2019.
Toxicology reports show that a significant proportion of drug related deaths involve opioids drugs, such as heroin and methadone, and an intramuscular injection of naloxone in an overdose situation can provide crucial time for emergency services to arrive and administer further treatment.
"We will save lives"
Convener of the Community Planning and Regeneration Committee, Cllr Chris Kane, said: “Stirling, like all of Scotland, sees far too many preventable deaths where drug use was a factor.
“Naloxone is a pharmaceutical drug which can temporarily reverse the effects of an overdose, providing more time for an ambulance to arrive and treatment to be given. By giving our staff the training and support to intervene if an overdose occurs, we will save lives.
“More than that, we’ll help families avoid the horrendous pain of losing a loved one and we’re helping our staff avoid the trauma of witnessing a preventable drug death at work.”
Naloxone is a non-addictive drug used in an emergency situation for the temporary reversal of opiate overdose. The effects of naloxone are not permanent; the result is a temporary reversal of the effects of opiate overdose during which time emergency services can arrive and provide effective treatment.
The Corporate Naloxone Policy by Stirling Council will establish an evidenced, consistent and clear set of procedural obligations for services where the safe and appropriate use of naloxone could save lives.
Critical and welcome intervention
Depute Convener of Community Planning – and Council Leader – Cllr Scott Farmer, added: “I welcome the paper and this initiative.
“At a time when we’re seeing an increase in drug use and drug deaths, this is a critical and welcome intervention. Certainly, having been a homeless persons accommodation manager myself, I know only too well the impact of drugs deaths on friends and wider families.
“If we had access to an appropriate neutraliser then, in some cases, life would have been saved. I really welcome this because I’ve seen first-hand the devastating effects drug overdose can have.”
The National Take Home Naloxone Programme supports the provision and safe use of Naloxone in wider settings where professional staff may engage with individuals who may be at risk of overdose.
It is endorsed by the Scottish Government, Clackmannanshire & Stirling Health and Social Care partnership and the local Alcohol and Drugs Partnership.
The approach detailed within the newly approved corporate policy is consistent with these wider partnership priorities and sits firmly within the Council’s overall approach to health and safety at work for all employees and service users.
There are currently 18 staff in the Stirling Council homeless team wanting to go through training having experienced incidents with people overdosing on drugs.