A group of public sector organisations in the Aberdeen area have launched a mobile app aimed at preventing drug deaths.
Named Aberdeen Protects, it has been developed by the city council under its memorandum of understanding with Microsoft, with the design process being led by the Alcohol and Drugs Action (ADA) charity, NHS Grampian, the Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership and tech consultancy Cluster Reply.
It highlights the nearest source of the naloxene – a drug that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opiod overdose – provides a video showing how to administer the drug, uses push notifications to alert people of dangerous substances in circulation and carries messages of support and advice. Doses of naxolene can buy time before an ambulance crew arrives at the scene of an overdose. A programme to promote the use of the drug has won cross-party support on Aberdeen City Council.
The app is freely available through the Apple and Google stores.
Saving lives
In a joint statement, Cllrs Ian Yuill, Christian Allard, Tauqueer Malik and Richard Brooks, said: “The council has worked closely with partners to make naloxone available in the city. This is saving lives and sparing families untold suffering.
“The city council was proud to help develop the mobile app, which will strengthen the support on offer by promoting access to naloxone and information about how to stay safe.”
Susan Webb, director of public health for NHS Grampian, said: "We recognise the importance of intervening early to prevent an unnecessary death in addition to preventing people from developing problem drug use.
“By services and communities working together and using fantastic new tools like this app we can reduce harm associated with drug use for people at the highest risk of harm, overdose and death.
“It’s not only opioids which can cause overdose, and the app will also help to raise awareness of the support services ADA offers seven days a week for those using illicit and other substances, including alcohol.”
The council said that between 2018-23, 313 people died from drug related harm in Aberdeen.
