Anyone can administer naloxone in an emergency but, currently, only drug treatment services can legally supply it to an individual for future use in case of opioid overdose (‘take home’ naloxone). A UK-wide consultation on widening access to ‘take home’ naloxone has recently taken place and has also proposed that the range of people authorised to supply (or carry) naloxone in case of emergency need should be extended.²⁴

The outcome of an earlier consultation (with the final outcome published in January 2024) reported significant support for these proposals, allowing draft regulations to be published. Once in force, the fhanges will mean that, with appropriate training, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians (in England, Scotland and Wales), registered nurses, midwives and paramedics, as well as police, prison and probation officers will be “appropriate suppliers of naloxone.”^25,26

The regulations will also create a new concept of local naloxone providers, whose staff will also be appropriate suppliers. These local naloxone providers will be in networks, run on behalf central government and the devolved administrations by entities that agree to act as naloxone supply network co-ordinators.²⁶