Emergency Provision of Naloxone

Service specification

Emergency Provision of Naloxone refers to making naloxone—a life-saving opioid overdose antidote—available quickly in situations where someone is experiencing or at risk of an opioid overdose. Naloxone works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain, reversing respiratory depression caused by opioids like heroin, methadone, morphine, fentanyl, and similar drugs. It acts rapidly and is short-acting, buying time for emergency services to arrive.

Useful Resources:

Naloxone Emergency Supply Service Update | Community Pharmacy Scotland

Process for Claiming and Supplying Naloxone (claim forms etc)

Community pharmacy contractors must record every emergency supply of naloxone through the Universal Claims Framework (UCF). This is the same system used for claiming other services, such as smoking cessation and emergency hormonal contraception. The naloxone service will appear under Public Health Services with two claim options:

  1. Emergency Naloxone – Administered:
    For situations where naloxone has been supplied or administered for immediate emergency use.
  2. Emergency Naloxone – Expired:
    For claims relating to naloxone kits that have passed their expiry date.

If you know the details of the person who experienced the overdose, you are encouraged to record the supply on their Patient Medication Record (PMR). If the individual is unknown, you may record the supply using a dummy patient record.

To support claims for expired kits or for replacement kits where the original was used and the patient is not known to you, create a dummy patient on your PMR. The following suggested details can be used (these are not mandatory but can help validate the claim):

Forename: Naloxone
Surname: Naloxone
Date of Birth: 01/01/2000
Address: 1 Any Street, NF1 1AB

Resources

NHS Highland and national Scottish services provide several resources and toolkits for emergency naloxone provision:

1. Highland Substance Awareness Toolkit

  • This is an online resource commissioned by the Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (HADP) and NHS Highland.
  • It includes harm reduction materials, guidance for professionals, and links to naloxone-related resources.
  • Designed for young people, parents, carers, and professionals, it offers lesson plans, policy guidance, and practical advice on substance use and overdose prevention.
    Access the toolkit here. [highlandsu…cot.nhs.uk]

2. Highland Alcohol and Drug Advice and Support Service (HADASS)

  • Provides naloxone training and supply, overdose prevention advice, and harm reduction services.
  • Drop-in sessions are available in Inverness for naloxone kits and training.
  • Contact: 01463 717 594 or visit NHS Highland HADASS page. [nhshighlan…cot.nhs.uk]

3. HOPE App (Highland Overdose Prevention & Engagement)

4. National Naloxone Programme Scotland

  • Public Health Scotland monitors naloxone distribution and provides official guidance.