Aberdeen
City Council Co-leader, Christian Allard has welcomed the cross-party support
of fellow councillors and staff for a potentially life-saving project which
enables them to assist people suffering from the ill-effects of a drugs
overdose.
The
Council, along with Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Community Partnership
have been working since September 2019 to develop a programme to help reduce
fatal drug overdoses in the city.
The
project has seen 234 council staff in a total of over 450 people trained in the
management of Naloxone - a safe and easily administered medication which can
temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose – in emergency situations
whilst an ambulance is called.
Councillor
Allard said: “This is a project which can save lives. All the council’s
political parties are united in encouraging people to train in naloxone use and
to carry a kit.
“The
council is a provider and administrator of naloxone. We are working with our
partners to raise awareness of its availability and application which includes
administration via a simple nasal spray.
“I
now carry one of these and I am grateful to my colleague Councillor Ciaran
McRae for the training he has provided on the correct method for using it.
“The
number of people who have volunteered for training is really encouraging and we
have also been working in Woodside, Tillydrone and Seaton to increase the
number of community overdose champions as part of our project
testing.
“We
aim to prevent avoidable deaths by increasing the supply of naloxone across the
city via services such as our libraries and community centres in addition to
the existing provision in drugs and alcohol
services.”
The
availability of distribution sites was increased initially in the five areas of
the city with the highest recorded instances of drug related deaths - Torry,
Hanover, City Centre, Ferryhill and Stockethill.
By
the end of 2022, naloxone was stocked at nine council locations and training
was supported by a social media campaign, radio advertising and posters to
raise public awareness.
Anyone,
friends or family, who is worried about someone at risk of overdosing can have
kits. They are free, safe and easy to use.
To
find out more visit https://www.alcoholanddrugsaction.org.uk
or call 0333 3 448 355.
Back row (left to right)- Councillors M Taqueer Malik, Ian Yuill, Miranda Radley and Ciaran McRae. Front row (left to right) – Lucy Simpson, Development Officer in Aberdeen City Council’s Early Intervention and Community Empowerment service and Councillor Christian Allard. Each are holding a Naloxone nasal spray kit.