Naloxone key to Geelong’s heroin overdose fight

Workers on the frontline of Geelong’s overdose fight have revealed the tactics being used to prevent heroin-related deaths.

Barwon Health harm reduction co-ordinator Craig Harvey with naloxone (a heroin overdose reversal agent). Picture: Alan Barber

Barwon Health’s overdose prevention program targeting heroin users is distributing hundreds of units of naloxone, a lifesaving overdose reversal medication, a year.

Since the program’s inception in 2015, the proportion of its consumers who have naloxone continually increased, to currently sit at 80 per cent.

Barwon Health harm reduction co-ordinator Craig Harvey said the overdose prevention program provided about 400 units of naloxone per year, most commonly Nyxoid, a nasal spray formulation.

Nyxoid, a naloxone nasal spray formulation. Picture: Alan Barber

“We understand from our own reporting that one in four of these (naloxone units) are used to save a life,” Mr Harvey said.

“Recently Victoria has joined other states, providing a federally funded naloxone program, where members of the public can access naloxone, and advice in how to respond to an unintentional overdose from pharmacies, dramatically increasing the reach of this life saving medicine.”

Barwon Health’s harm reduction service provides a range of supports to people who use heroin, including access to hepatitis C treatment, safer injecting advice, and advice on managing and reducing use.

Mr Harvey said Barwon Health operated a pharmacotherapy program designed to support people who wished to cease opioid use, including heroin.

“GPs provide a range of services including prescribing methadone, Suboxone and the new long acting injectable buprenorphine treatment,” he said

“The service has capacity to see new patients and currently provides services to over 400 individuals.”

He said there had not been a notable increase in heroin-related emergency department presentations.

A Coroners Court of Victoria report showed Greater Geelong recorded 10 heroin-related overdose deaths in 2021, up from five the year prior.

Josephine Taylor, alcohol and other drugs and mental health services manager at Barwon Child, Youth and Family, said the proportion of people presenting to BCYF’s Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) services reporting heroin as their main substance of concern remained relatively low at about 0.5 per cent of referrals in 2021-22.

BCYF’s Josephine Taylor. Picture: Alan Barber

“Those presenting are mostly long-term users, aged 50-plus,” she said.

“In the younger age group (16-25) we have seen very little heroin use as a concern in recent years.”

Geelong Inspector Peter Nichols said Crime Statistics Agency data showed overall drug related offending across Geelong was at its lowest levels in five years.

“Despite the low levels of offending, local police are doing everything possible to ensure the local community not only is safe, but importantly, feels safe,” he said.

“Police will continue to conduct high visibility patrols and run dedicated operations targeting drug crime to ensure drug-related offending, remains at low levels.”

Mr Harvey said benzodiazepines and methamphetamine presentations were in higher numbers at the emergency department, followed by alcohol.

“ED presentations for heroin or any other opioid are much lower,” he said.

“We have seen an increase in benzodiazepines over the years with these being more common than opioids.”

Ms Taylor said there had been an overall increase in young people presenting for alcohol use, along with cocaine and benzodiazepines at BCYF.

“Cannabis has consistently been the primary drug of concern for the young people seeking support,” she said.

“Across all age groups, alcohol continues to be the primary drug of concern.”

Originally published as Naloxone key to Geelong’s heroin overdose fight