A partnership between Turning Point, Leicester City Council and Leicestershire Police that trains officers to administer a lifesaving antidote to opiate drugs won a national award on Wednesday.
The initiative sees police officers trained to use naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opiate overdose – if given quickly enough. In the first 12 months, officers administered naloxone on 14 separate occasions, in situations where people were likely to have otherwise died, before calling for ambulance back-up.
The success of the scheme was recognised with it winning in the Public Partnerships category at the Local Government Chronicle Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London. The awards recognise excellence in local government across the whole of the UK.
The judges said they were ‘wowed by a partnership solution that is both innovative and pragmatic’.
‘The clarity on the role of each partner and the way they overcome challenges was truly impressive. We could see how all places could apply this model to save lives and strengthen services,’ they added.
Approval for the pilot scheme was given by Leicestershire Police in 2023, after Turning Point and the city council’s public health team had found funding and established pilot sites. Initially, small groups of police officers were given training in overdose awareness and administering naloxone, and as a result almost 200 officers voluntarily agreed to carry it.
New recruits to Leicestershire Police are now trained in administering naloxone as part of their core training and offered the chance to carry at that time. Since this was introduced, every new recruit has volunteered to carry it.
Leicester’s director of public health Rob Howard said, ‘In the event of an opiate overdose, administering an immediate dose of naloxone by nasal spray reverses respiratory arrest and allows time for emergency medical services to be called.
‘Police officers are most likely to be the first on scene at such incidents, and thanks to years of hard work by all involved, we believe that the Leicestershire police service is now the first in England and Wales to commit to enabling all front-line officers to carry naloxone.
‘This incredible partnership work has not only saved lives, and will save lives in the future, but is also supporting a broader understanding of the challenges faced by people who use drugs.’
James Edmondston, Leicestershire Police’s substance misuse team leader, said, ‘The most important duty of a police officer is to preserve life and naloxone gives officers a simple, safe and effective way of doing so. This initiative reflects a strong and robust partnership commitment to saving lives and supporting people into long term treatment.
‘It is fantastic to see its use being celebrated – it really does save lives and we are looking to expand its use across the force and into custody.’
Julie Bass, Turning Point chief executive, said, ‘Winning this prestigious award is testament to the power of partnership. We have been delighted to work with Leicestershire Police and Leicester City Council on this initiative, which genuinely has saved lives and also strengthened joint working across our organisations.’
This blog was originally published by Turning Point. You can read the original post here.
DDN magazine is a free publication self-funded through advertising.
We are proud to work in partnership with many of the leading charities and treatment providers in the sector.
This content was created by Turning Point