Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his department has plans to publish guidance on the issuing of naloxone to those leaving prison with a history of opioid use.

The Department has published clinical guidance on drug misuse and dependence which includes a section on the criminal justice system and stresses that take-home naloxone for previously heroin-dependent prisoners is important as they leave prison and enter a very high-risk period. The guidance advises that commissioners should agree with prison health and community providers on how best to facilitate support for naloxone provision on release.

On release from prison, NHS Substance Misuse teams in custody settings provide patients at risk of an opioid overdose who have given their consent with take home naloxone kits and training on how to use them.

The Government has amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to expand access to naloxone by enabling more services and professionals to supply naloxone without needing a prescription. The Department published guidance on the GOV.UK website in 2025 setting out essential practical information such as who can supply naloxone, the products available, how to use naloxone, and other basic lifesaving tools, and the training required.

In addition to the changes made in 2024, we published a United Kingdom wide public consultation which closed on 9 March, to seek views on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone. We are analysing the responses to this consultation, and we will be setting out the next steps soon.