Theme: Social Science & Policy Research Year: 2022
Background:
Proportionally, Dundee has one of the highest Drug Related Death (DRD) rates in Europe.
Scotland had 1,339 DRDs in 2020 and with harm reduction services more difficult to access as a
consequence of Covid-19, a need for increased community naloxone provision was recognised.
The Scottish Government’s Drug Death Task Force recommended a national peer support
programme to be implemented.
In response, the Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) received funding to deliver a peer naloxone initiative
across Scotland, with Dundee as a pilot site, with the aim of promoting and delivering peer supply of
naloxone as a core service across the region. People with lived experience offer a credible,
alternative method of engagement to traditional, established pathways.
Methods:
Third-sector organization; Hillcrest Futures (HF) employed five peers with lived experience to deliver
a total of 40 hours per week, in Dundee.
This enabled a wider demographic to be targeted, via a variety of settings including temporary
accommodation, shopping centres and community settings, thus allowing stigma to be challenged.
Targeted interventions were predominantly delivered through assertive outreach, with peer workers
embedded within the wider Enhanced Injecting Equipment Provision (IEP) service.
This promoted a collaborative response in conjunction with an NHS nurse-led specialist harm
reduction team.
Results:
A total of 2018 naloxone kits were provided in Dundee during April 2021 and April 2022.
914 (45.3%); supplied by HF, IEP site.
367 (18.8%); all other Dundee statutory and non-statutory services.
737 (36.5%); peer naloxone staff.
Collated data evidences peers supplied a greater amount of naloxone than combined statuary and
non-statuary services.
Conclusion:
The peer model increased naloxone provision in Dundee through community based outreach.
Novel approaches via lived experience to support dispensing of naloxone is a welcomed intervention
to help address DRDs.
Benefits to peers included career progression, supporting sustained recovery and improved self-efficacy.
Disclosure of Interest Statement:
TMP, FH, DK, TF, PG, EW, NC, ET; declare no conflict of interests.