Naloxone is a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and can help to prevent overdose deaths. Anyone can administer naloxone in an emergency but currently, it can only legally be supplied to an individual for future use by a list of professionals and services named in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.

Under these proposals, more organisations would be allowed to supply naloxone without a prescription, public emergency naloxone boxes would be introduced and certain workplaces at risk of opioid exposure would be allowed to hold naloxone for emergency use. In our response, we welcomed the expansion of naloxone to homelessness services, but have highlighted that the service provisions outlined in the proposed expanded routes should be broadened to include semi-independent housing, Housing First and residential care homes. We noted the importance of training and guidance in naloxone administration, sharing information around the training we provide at St Mungo’s and clarifying that whilst we support the provision of publicly available emergency lock boxes, this resource should not come at the cost of reduced funding for naloxone access at drug and alcohol treatment services.

Once the responses have been reviewed, the Government will publish its conclusions and outline the timeline for implementing for naloxone expansion.