6. To ask the Scottish Government how many front-line police officers have been trained to use, and equipped with, naloxone. (S6O-02241)

The Scottish Government recognises the vital role that emergency services play in providing and improving our response to drug overdoses. To date, 10,300 officers have been trained to use and been equipped with naloxone kits.

As of today, Police Scotland has recorded 201 administrations of naloxone, which shows how crucial the intervention is in helping to tackle preventable deaths. I want to thank each and every officer who has carried and administered life-saving naloxone.

The roll-out of naloxone to front-line police officers began at last year’s international overdose awareness day. Naloxone is an emergency first-aid treatment for use in potentially life-threatening overdose situations. When will the cabinet secretary see the results of the use of naloxone on the figures for overdose deaths?

Many factors contribute to reducing overdose deaths, and the national statistics are published every year in the summer months. There have been 201 recorded incidents of police officers having administered naloxone, and they have done that in a wide variety of circumstances and locations. On all but seven occasions, the individuals survived their ordeal. On most occasions when the individual did not survive, the officer suspected that the person was deceased prior to police arrival, but the officer administered naloxone to give them the best possible chance of survival.

Once again, I thank Police Scotland for its leadership in the area and its front-line officers for playing their part to save lives.