NALOXONE PROVISION TO PRISONERS ON RELEASE

That this House recognises that the risk of a drug-related death is 7.5 times higher for UK prisoners in the first fortnight following their release; notes that almost all these overdose deaths are potentially preventable with Naloxone; further notes that a significant number of local authorities are still failing to provide access to Naloxone for opiate users in the community, in disregard of World Health Organization and Public Health England (PHE) guidance; further believes the failure to provide Naloxone to prisoners on release to be illustrative of the unintended consequences of localism and fragmented criminal justice and health provision; recommends healthcare provision in all UK prisons should include issue of Naloxone to all on release with a history of opiate use; further believes that NHS England, PHE, the National Offender Management Service, community rehabilitation companies and local authorities should develop a joint strategy and funding arrangements for such provision; and calls on the Government to facilitate and expedite such a strategy to address the current fragmentation of responsibility that is putting lives of vulnerable adults needlessly at risk.