Review highlights action in Herts to prevent drug-deaths

Hundreds of police officers, a number of fire crews and other professionals across the county have been trained to administer Naloxone.

And at the county council’s annual crime and disorder scrutiny review, councillors heard that their actions have already saved lives.

Naloxone is a medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of a drug overdose, for around half an hour.

And if administered in time, it can ‘buy’ the patient vital minutes until the arrival of an ambulance.

At the scrutiny review Alex Kweller, programme manager for the county community safety unit (CCSU) told councillors that police in Hertfordshire had administered Naloxone on 23 occasions since 2022.

And he said analysis by a medical director had confirmed that on at least 13 of those occasions, the action was guaranteed to have saved a life.

Det Ch Insp Alexander Wilcox, from the Hertfordshire Constabulary said that “well over half” of front-line uniformed officers are now carrying Naloxone on a daily basis.

And he said that he had no doubt that “in every single area of Hertfordshire, on duty now” would be an officer carrying that kit as a front-line tool.

Meanwhile Chris Bates – from Change, Grow, Live – said that since 2021 he had delivered training to more than 3000 professionals in the county.

In addition he said Naloxone was made available to anyone in the county seeking drug treatment – as well as being available on-demand from 26 pharmacies.

During the scrutiny review councillors were also made aware of the increasing numbers of drug-related deaths locally and nationally.

According to a report presented to the review, in 2023 there were 5448 deaths nationally as a result of drug-poisoning – with 66.4 per cent of those due to drug misuse.

In the same 12-month period, senior community safety and public health data analyst Becki Fuller said around 71 people had died in Hertfordshire as a result of drug-poisoning.

That, she said, was the highest number since 2018 and the second-highest for 10 years.

And she said that opiates accounted for the greatest proportion of those deaths, nationally and locally.

Also highlighted as part of the review was the emergence and growth of synthetic opioids – such as nitazenes.

Councillors heard that since the cultivation of opium had been prohibited in Afghanistan, ‘highly potent’ synthetic opioids had become an emerging issue.

These synthetic drugs – manufactured “rapidly and inexpensively” – can be added to or substituted for heroin, councillors were told.

But they can be 100 times more potent than heroin, carrying a “elevated risk of overdose”.

During the review Chris Bates highlighted a “significant increase” in overdoses towards the end of 2021, that he said had primarily included heroin users due to their drugs having been cut or contaminated with nitazenes.

And it was also reported to councillors that the use of the reversal drug Naloxone was not as successful against nitazenes.

During the debate, witnesses were asked if access to Naxolone had impacted on the behaviour of drug-users – given that there was “now effectively an antidote to what they’re doing”.

Mr Bates acknowledged that people using drugs were now aware of “harm reduction measures” – and that they were carrying Naloxone more than they would have previously.

But in response to the suggestion that the “safety net” of Naloxone may increase usage, he said: “Unfortunately those people would be using drugs whether there was a safety net there or not.

“The fact that there is a safety net there is a matter of them dying or not dying.”

During the review councillors heard that members of the council’s fire and rescue service were among those to be carrying Naloxone.

Following a pilot at Watford Fire Station, in which staff were trained and equipped with the drug, the scheme has now been rolled out to stations in Watford and Three Rivers.

And councillors heard there are plans to roll it out further by the end of the year.

At the end of the review councillors made a number of recommendations, including a recommendation for longer-term funding.

Making the case for longer-term funding, Conservative Cllr Richard Thake said: “We heard evidence that the initial pilots have actually saved lives.

“And we are in Hertfordshire keen to roll this out, because we can see the ongoing benefit and the value of this provision.

“And the fact that the funding streams are not predictable not visible or transparent is a huge concern.

“And if funding is not forthcoming and the continuity of funding is not forthcoming, it will adversely impact upon what we consider to be a great improvement in the services that we offer.”

The county council’s crime and disorder scrutiny review was held on March 18. And it can be viewed at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk