Question reference: S5W-33342
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 18 November 2020
-
Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 4 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what safeguards have been put in place following the trial of giving police officers Naloxene kits, in light of safety concerns highlighted by the Scottish Police Federation.
Answer
Maximising the availability of naloxone, particularly amongst emergency responders, has been a key aspect of the work of Scottish Government and the Drug Death Taskforce in our effort to tackle drug deaths, as such I welcome that Police Scotland have approved this initiative.
The trial is being led by Police Scotland and it would be for Police Scotland to provide any specific details around safeguards that they plan to put in place. While I acknowledge the Scottish Police Federation’s view, it is important to emphasise that there is an extremely robust evidence base to support the use of naloxone. Naloxone is not a new medication, it has been available and in use for over 50 years and will have been used to save countless lives not just in Scotland, or the UK, but across the globe. At this current time I am not aware of any significant concerns that exist among experts, stakeholders or medical professionals as to its safety. The trial will undoubtedly be closely monitored and appropriately evaluated by Police Scotland.