Dumbarton mum’s drug aid battle goes to Holyrood

Oct 3 2008 by Amanda McKendrick, Lennox Herald (main ed)

A MUM’S fight to have an emergency overdose treatment introduced to Scottish police offices is being taken to the Scottish Parliament.

Peggy Hyslop is calling for Naloxone to be available in every police station following the death of her son Chad, and this week MSP Jackie Baillie pledged to raise the issue at government level in Edinburgh.

The MSP has also vowed to contact both Strathclyde Police Chief Constable Stephen House and Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.

She said: “Ms Hyslop seems to have gained nothing from the fatal accident inquiry.

“I will write to the chief constable of Strathclyde Police and ask him, in so far as he is able, to ensure Naloxone is available within the custody area of every police station and every officer is trained in it.

“I will also ask him to raise this issue with other forces in Scotland.

“I intend writing to the Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill and will also be raising the matter in parliament.”

Nineteen-year-old Chad was found dead in a cell at Dumbarton police office on February 25 last year following a heroin overdose.

A fatal accident inquiry into his death heard that emergency treatment Naloxone can reverse the effects of a heroin overdose and has been used to save lives.

Ready-prepared syringes of the drug cost between £3.30 and £6.70 and have previously been used in a trial scheme by Lothian and Borders Police.

Peggy said: “This drug only costs a couple of pounds, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be available.

“What price can you put on someone’s life?

“I won’t let what happened to Chad be swept under the carpet.

“Even if this saves just one life, it will be worth it.”

Naloxone is most commonly injected intravenously for fastest action. The drug acts after about two minutes and its effects can last around 45 minutes, allowing valuable time to get a patient to hospital for further treatment.