Police roll out Naloxone in Scotland

From the Scottish Drugs Forum website

Police officers across Scotland will be able to carry and use naloxone and so contribute to The National Mission to Reduce Drug Deaths.

Police officers in local areas in Glasgow, Dundee, Falkirk, Stirling and Caithness had taken part in a pilot in 2021.  That pilot has now been evaluated after naloxone was administered on 51 occasions.  It has now been agreed that there should be a national rollout of the initiative.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “I know the terrible toll of drugs deaths in Scotland and policing is committed to playing our part in reducing the harm caused to individuals, families and communities.

During the test of change, 808 officers were trained to use naloxone, and 656 (81 per cent) volunteered to carry the nasal spray kits.

An independent academic review conducted between March and October 2021, during which naloxone was used 51 times, recommended a national roll-out.

Kirsten Horsburgh, Strategy Co-ordinator (drug death prevention) at SDF, welcomed the news:

Police officers are often first on the scene of a suspected overdose and are well-placed to act quickly and potentially save a life –  the pilot has shown this. It is no surprise that there were 51 administrations of naloxone over the 6 months, which also sadly highlights the scale of the problem. Expanding naloxone carriage by police to cover the whole of Scotland is significant, and an obvious next step. It has been positive to hear frontline police recognising that this is part of key policing duties to preserve life, and be able to intervene effectively.

Work is under way to secure stock of naloxone and a national programme of training and equipping over 12.000 officers, will be undertaken in the coming months.

 

HepC Conference scholarship available!

The International Network on Hepatitis in Substance Users (INHSU) is an international, not-for-profit, member-based organization dedicated to scientific knowledge exchange, education, and advocacy focused on improving health for people who use drugs, including focusing on hepatitis C prevention and care for people who use drugs.

INHSU annual conferences are a unique opportunity to connect with the global community working to improve health outcomes for people who use drugs including the prevention, treatment and care of hepatitis C. Their 9th International Conference on Hepatitis Care in Substance Users will be held 8 – 10 October 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

Focused on supporting scientific exchange and knowledge dissemination, the conference provides delegates with access to the latest research and evidence regarding effective treatment and care to improve health outcomes for people who use drugs, with a specific focus on hepatitis C prevention, treatment and care. It provides an opportunity for those working in this area to share their research and professional expertise with leaders working in this field. It profiles cutting edge practice that links people who use drugs to prevention, treatment and care in a range of clinical, custodial and community settings.

This conference also brings together leaders engaged in the global effort to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

Have a look at the conference promotional video

A number of scholarship opportunities are available for the full or partial scholarships for the Conference.

A full scholarship will include: conference registration, return economy class flights and accommodation. A partial scholarship will include conference registration.

To apply you must be currently enrolled in a BSc, PhD or Masters Degree and submit an abstract before the deadline: Sunday 15 March 2019.

For more information and to apply, follow this link>>>

Scotland’s first essay competition on addiction open to students from all over the world

We are glad to recommend the first international essay competition about addiction in Scotland and invite students of medicine, nursing, psychology and social work from South East Europe and from all over the world to submit academic essays on addiction.

The competition was launched by Castle Craig Hospital, located near Edinburgh, one of the most respected addiction treatment (rehab) clinics in Europe. Patients come from all over the world for residential addiction treatment at Castle Craig, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

We’re marking our 30th anniversary by creating this competition,” said Dominic McCann, Castle Craig’s Director of Development.

essey competition

 

We want to reach-out to the next generation of addiction treatment professionals,” he continued, “and to raise awareness of this critical subject with students globally. Addiction is one of the biggest health and social challenges of our time and this is our way of preparing for the next 30 years.

Students can choose from three essay titles and the deadline is 30th December 2018. Postgraduate students are also welcome to apply.

The top prize is £1,000 (USD 1,300). Five prizes of £250 (USD 325) will also be awarded.

For full details about the essay competition click here.