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Peer
Naloxone

Supporting peers with lived and living experience to widen the availability and accessibility of naloxone in our communities and across the prison estate in Scotland.

About the project

The peer naloxone project has 3 key objectives:

3 key objectives
Establish, embed and support high quality peer supply of naloxone as a core service across Scotland
3 key objectives
Ensure those involved in peer supply have an active voice in delivery of naloxone and other harm reduction interventions, including the sharing and promotion of good practice
3 key objectives
Connect with and offer support to all peer naloxone projects across Scotland

3,959

Peer supplied kits from SDF led projects

2,739

Of these kits were supplied to people to that have never received naloxone kits before. 

4,808

Hours worked with peers paid for their time. 

11

Quarterly national peer naloxone networks meetings are held—a peer-only space for people involved in naloxone training and supply that serves as a forum for sharing resources and good practices.

What is naloxone

Naloxone is a safe and easy-to-use medication that reverses the effects of opioid drugs.  This can be an effective intervention to save someone from a potentially fatal overdose.  When administered by a member of the public naloxone can ‘buy time’ until a person can be seen by a medical professional.   

Scotland’s public health emergency

Providing naloxone to individuals at risk of opioid overdose is crucial in Scotland’s response to the public health emergency of drug-related deaths. This effort also includes those who live with, care for, or work with at-risk individuals. Additionally, it involves members of the wider community who might encounter someone experiencing a suspected opioid overdose. 

it’s a game changer
Being involved in the peer naloxone supply project gave me the confidence and experience of how to administer naloxone, how to train people how to administer naloxone, and to me it’s a total lifesaver, it’s a game changer…if I can impact somebody’s life to help them for the better, that’s exactly what I’ll do..
lots of stigma still
There is lots of stigma still attached to it, but it is easier for us to speak to fellow prisoners about it than anyone else.
It has been fantastic
It has been fantastic to see the increased uptake of the Peer Naloxone Champion model happening across SPS establishments. The increased uptake of THN by residents leaving custody is testament that peer to peer education and awareness raising can have a huge impact on reducing the stigma associated with substance use and highlights the willingness of people to intervene and save a life (in the event of witnessing a potential overdose.)
A safer way
So even if people leave prison and they go back to using drugs immediately, they go back to using drugs in a safer way, because they go out with Nyxoid.
reaching new people
I’ve been really impressed at how proactive they are, and you know, really taken ownership of the project. You know, it’s definitely not us dictating to them as to where to go, it’s absolutely them coming up with new places and new opportunities and reaching new people.
about saving lives
Definitely about saving lives, so…if you didn’t do it there would probably be quite a lot of fatal overdoses…

Roles for Peers in Communities & Prison  

SDF works to increase peer to peer naloxone supply by delivering training to peers who have experience of substance use and providing ongoing support to peer networks.  This involves working with local stakeholders to initiate projects and existing groups of peers who require support to develop a local peer naloxone network.     

SDF works across the Scottish prison estate to develop peer roles and ensure more people leaving prison are offered training in overdose awareness, prevention and intervention prior to being offered a supply of nasal naloxone.  

SDF has established and supports two national networks to enhance the delivery of naloxone provision by peers.  

peer Naloxone
in your area

CONTACT US

Contact SDF to learn more about establishing and supporting a local peer naloxone network  

Link to contact: peerengagement@sdf.org.uk 

Resources

The Stop The Deaths website contains information about recognising an overdose, emergency response to a suspected overdose and naloxone as well as access to free e:learning.

#Stopthedeaths

In 2023 there was an evaluation of this work since it started in 2021.

full report

summary report