Theme: Models of Care Year: 2024
Background: Drug deaths continue to rise in Scotland with 1,051 lives lost in 2022: opiates being present in the majority of deaths. Increasing naloxone provision to those at risk of, or most likely to witness an opiate-related overdose is a part of the Scottish Government’s ‘national mission’ to reduce drug deaths. People are at greater risk of overdose immediately following release from prison due to issues such as reduced tolerance.
Description: The project expands on earlier work of peer-to-peer naloxone set up in prison settings. The work targets people due to be liberated, ensuring they are peer trained and supplied with intranasal naloxone in the day prior to leaving the prison. Currently there are 6 active projects and a National Peer Naloxone Network which is attended by peers from across the country.
Effectiveness: Since November 2021 peers in prison have supplied 1,785 naloxone kits, with 1,425 of those being supplied for the first time. Recently published Public Health Scotland statistics show 46% of prison supplied kits were made by peers. The most recent statistics of uptake of naloxone from peers in HMP Low Moss was 53%.
The National Naloxone Network is an effective space for sharing information on emerging drug trends, best practice and creating a sense of community amongst the peers involved.
Several community-based peers involved in the programme have progressed into full time employment, with one former naloxone peer now in a national role.
Conclusion and next steps: Peer delivered harm reduction interventions are effective in ways conventional approaches simply are not. This is due to the increased reach, privileged access and immediate credibility peers have with people who use drugs. There is a clear need for peer-to-peer naloxone provision within prison, with SDF implementing plans to expand the model to all 17 Scottish prisons.