Take-Home Naloxone – Online Learning Event for Oxfordshire Community Pharmacies

Public Health Oxfordshire County Council in collaboration with Community Pharmacy Thames Valley will be holding an online event on Thursday, 6th February 2025 from 7.30pm-8.30pm.

Details:

This learning event is organised by Public Health Oxfordshire County Council in collaboration with Community Pharmacy Thames Valley

The event is open to all practising Community Pharmacists and registered Pharmacy Technicians working within Oxfordshire.

Background:

Deaths from drug use in England have been on an upward trend for the past decade. The reasons behind this are complex, however, the overall trend is driven by deaths involving opioids.

Over the last few years, illicit potent synthetic opioids (more toxic than traditional opioids) have contributed to spikes in drug-related deaths locally and nationally and there are concerns that these substances are becoming more prevalent.

Naloxone can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, including potent opioids, hence there is a need to ensure that it is widely available.

Community pharmacies can provide a first point of contact for people seeking help with drug use themselves or for a relative/friend/client, and can be key providers of take-home naloxone.

Learning Objectives:

• Increase awareness of the current and increasing threat of synthetic opioids
• Understand the services that are available to support people who use drugs, and the harm reduction interventions to protect against drug related deaths. Understand how to access these services, and the risk management actions which can be taken in community pharmacy
• Increase general knowledge of take-home naloxone; legislation allowing this method of distribution, which services distribute naloxone in Oxfordshire, mode of action of & how to administer naloxone, and actions to ensure safety following administration
• Understand how to sign up for the Oxfordshire Community Pharmacy Take Home Naloxone pilot service and how to deliver the service to maximise the benefits to the population

NOTE: Attendees will be presented with Certificates of Completion of naloxone online training, and will then have met the training requirement for delivery of the Oxfordshire Community Pharmacy Take Home Naloxone pilot service