Naloxone PSNI pilot scheme saves three lives in early months

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has issued some patrol officers with medicine that reverses certain types of drugs overdose.

It has already saved three lives in the early months of a pilot initiative.

The PSNI is following a handful of UK forces who use the Naloxone treatment, but the Police Federation has questioned the move.

Its Northern Ireland chairman Mark Lindsay said officers "should not have to do the jobs of paramedics".

In total, 17 officers who patrol Belfast city centre have been provided with the medication, and have received training on how to use it.

In 2020, people survived on 91% of occasions when Naloxone was used

The Naloxone used by officers is administered via a nasal spray device.

The drug is used worldwide, including by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, and reverses the effects of opioid drugs such as heroin and methadone.

• Police expand use of drug that reverses overdoses

Paul McCusker, a Belfast SDLP councillor who has helped heroin addicts using Naloxone intervention, said there would be concerns within the police service.

"But police officers walk these streets every day and come across people who use heroin," he said.

"If they can step in at that critical moment, when a person has overdosed, that is to be welcomed."

Paul McCusker said the move "is to be welcomed"

The police and other health officials have pointed out that there are no risks in giving the medication, but it buys an overdose victim valuable time until paramedics can arrive.

Data provided by the Public Health Authority shows that since April 2014, Naloxone has been successful in reversing 598 opiate overdoses in Northern Ireland.

• Sharp rise in use of overdose-reversing drug

In 2020, people survived on 91% of occasions when it was used by paramedics and healthcare workers.

'Just a bit of extra kit'

Supt Gillian Kearney said all 17 officers had volunteered for the one-day training, and the pilot project will run until March, when it will be evaluated for potential wider roll-out.

"It is sadly a side effect of drug addiction that people will overdose," she said.

"This gives officers the opportunity to make an intervention when there is not an immediate response from the ambulance service when they are under pressure."

Naloxone has been successful in reversing 598 opiate overdoses in Northern Ireland since 2014

She added that officers already carried first aid kits and Naloxone was simply an extra item within it.

The drug can be legally administered by anyone.

'Is this our job to be doing?'

However, the Police Federation has reservations about the initiative.

"There is an element of police doing someone else's job for them", Mr Lindsay said.

"Is this us doing jobs paramedics should be doing? It is an example of where we see policing lifting the slack for another public service."