Life-saving nasal spray used on woman suffering potentially lethal drug overdose in South Yorkshire first
A newly-introduced life-saving nasal spray has been used for the first time on a woman suffering a potentially lethal opioid overdose in Sheffield city centre.
Last month, it was announced that trained and consenting frontline officers and operational staff for South Yorkshire Police will carry Naloxone.
The nasal spray, which is being used by police forces across the UK, helps to reverse the effects of overdoses from opioids such as heroin and morphine as well as synthetic opioids, including methadone, fentanyl and Nitazenes.
On Friday (January 3, 2025), Naloxone was administered for the first time by a South Yorkshire Police officer to a woman who was found unwell and unresponsive in Sheffield city centre after suffering a suspected drugs overdose.
Sergeant Simon Pickering noticed the woman during a patrol of the area and after she failed to respond to attempts to revive her, Naloxone was administered.
Sgt Pickering said that she began to respond within five minutes of the nasal spray being used. He and a colleague then stayed with the woman until paramedics arrived to provide further medical assistance.
"Administering the Naloxone stopped her from going into cardiac arrest and potentially saved her life," Sgt Pickering said.
"I was really impressed by the response of Naloxone and it was very unintrusive as it works as a nasal spray."
The decision to approve the use of Naloxone by trained South Yorkshire Police officers and staff comes as newly released figures show that drug-related deaths in England and Wales have reached record levels.
In 2023, there were 5,448 drug-related deaths in England and Wales – the highest number since records began in 1993.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Oughton, South Yorkshire Police’s lead for drug markets, believes there is no more pertinent time than now for Naloxone to be part of every officers' daily kit moving forwards.
DCI Oughton said: "Naloxone really is a life-saving drug and this particular incident proves just how effective it is in reversing the effects of a potentially fatal opioid overdose.
"As police officers, our overriding priority is to save and preserve lives, and Naloxone does just that.
"As shown by this incident, the administering of it buys crucial time for medical intervention by paramedics and hospital staff and had Naloxone not been given to this woman when it was, she could have fallen into cardiac arrest.
"We hope our officers and staff don't have to use Naloxone but if they encounter someone suffering from a drug overdose, having it on their person and administering it could save a person's life.”
Naloxone is now being gradually rolled out to trained police officers and staff across South Yorkshire following partnership work involving all four of the county’s local authorities.
All police officers and operational staff must complete mandatory training before they will be allowed to carry it and the decision to carry it is optional.