Health / Police highlights ‘life-saving’ use of overdose medicine Naloxone
A warning has also been made about the presence of synthetic opioids, which can increase the risk of overdose
LOCAL police officers have been praised for their “life-saving action” and teamwork after giving a man Naloxone and CPR following a report of a possible drugs overdose.
NHS Shetland’s alcohol and drug development officer Wendy Henderson also highlighted that Naloxone is available to anyone who may experience or witness an opioid overdose.
On Monday evening the police highlighted one life-saving use of Naloxone by officers in Shetland in late April.
The police responded to a report of a possible drug overdose at an address in Lerwick.
On arrival concerns grew as the man was unresponsive and not answering the door. Thanks to local intelligence, officers quickly identified someone with access to a key.
However, recognising the urgency, sergeant Tony Anderson decided to force entry rather than delay. Inside, the man was found slumped on a sofa, unresponsive, with clear signs of drug use.
Police Scotland said that constables Reece Thorne and Brian Goodman commenced CPR, continuing chest compressions for an intense 12 minutes.
Meanwhile constable Rowan Campbell administered seven doses of Naloxone throughout the effort.
Police said the officers’ “relentless perseverance paid off” when paramedics arrived and detected a pulse.
While life-saving efforts were underway the scene was preserved and protected, maintaining the integrity of any future investigation.
The incident has been described as a “textbook example of frontline policing” – officers drawing on their training, supporting one another, working seamlessly with ambulance crews and giving someone a second chance at life.
The man was taken to Gilbert Bain Hospital and discharged the following day. He will continue to receive support from the NHS as part of his ongoing recovery.
Area commander chief inspector Chris Sewell said: “Police Scotland is committed to doing all we can to combat the devastating effects of drugs in our communities, both from an enforcement perspective and while taking a public health approach to preventing harm.
“Naloxone is part of our public health approach. We’ve had positive outcomes in the overwhelming majority of incidents where officers have administered Naloxone as a first aid treatment, and I am in no doubt that by doing so, our officers have saved lives.
“We continue to work in partnership with members of the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and other partners at local, national and international level to stop drugs from reaching our communities on a daily basis.
“As a result, we have an extremely strong record in dismantling serious and organised crime gangs, and bringing to justice those responsible for preying on the most vulnerable members of society by pedalling death and misery.”
Local alcohol and drug development officer Wendy Henderson said while it was not known what substances were involved, the dose of Naloxone required to reverse the overdose was “significant”.
“We recently reported that heroin in Shetland had tested positive for the presence of Nitazenes, which is a strong synthetic opioid,” she added.
“This was detected using testing strips which are available from the Recovery Hub and Community Network in Pitt Lane and the NHS Substance Support and Recovery Service at the Lerwick Health Centre.
“These results are not surprising as it is the same pattern/trend we are seeing across Scotland.
“Synthetic opioids can be hundreds of times stronger than heroin, increasing the risk of overdose.
“This means that much larger doses of naloxone are required to reverse the overdose.
“We would ask that individuals and services are mindful of this and ensure that they have plenty of naloxone available.
“Naloxone is available for anyone who may experience or witness an opioid overdose.”
Details of where to access Naloxone, testing strips and support are available here.
The news has also been welcomed by the Shetland Greens, with local councillor Alex Armitage saying the man’s life was saved by the “decisiveness, skill and tenacity of these four heroic police officers, but it is also a testament to evidence-based policy making”.
“Police officers in Scotland have carried naloxone since 2022, following successful campaigns by drug policy reform organisations,” he said.
“Unfortunately there are still police forces in England that are yet to implement this policy. They need to learn from the good practice of Police Scotland.
“It’s good to see an example of a change in drugs policy made on the basis of evidence, and for that change to yield an effect.
“Sadly, harms related drug use and the unregulated criminal supply of drugs continue to cause huge trauma to communities across Scotland. The vast majority of this harm is totally unnecessary and could be prevented if governments ended drug prohibition and implemented the policies of legal regulation.”
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