Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Health.

The Board received a report of the Director of Public Heath, concerning an update on the Combating Drugs Partnership (CDP) and Substance Use Support.

It was explained to the Board that the CDP had been trying to bring naloxone, an opioid antagonist used to reserve or reduce the effects of opioids, and reduce the effects of harmful overdoses, into professional use, such as in frontline policing. There was a professional information network which was the route into the CDP’s services if there was an identified heightened risk in certain areas and accessing support. The Board later heard that the Corporation had frontline staff who might be in scope for professional use of naloxone, including the City of London Police. This needed to be ensured that this progressed forward, and it was suggested to the Board that there be a report detailing the progress and action plan to maintain this momentum. The use of naloxone was a priority due for the potential fatal overdoes.  The Board also heard that the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Sub-Committee had recently received a report on drug use in rough sleeping and homelessness, and that the rough sleeping service carried naloxone. There was also weekly clinical mobile vehicle in the City, where naloxone was available.  

A Member queried whether the approach was sensitive enough to target different substance user groups. The response was that there had been work to ensure that the different groups were targeted, such as the Incident Management Team to communicate the risks of drug use, ways to reduce harms, and engaging with recovery services.

It was commented those persons who had undiagnosed ADHD who took, or were addicted to, drugs, and it was questioned whether this had been considered in relation to their diagnosis. The response was that there was a workstream on the role of neurodiversity leading to continued harmful drug use, but this had not yet produced any findings to provide to the Board at this juncture. 

RESOLVED – That the report be received, and its contents noted.