Drug-related deaths in the UK remain devastatingly high. In 2023, there were over 5,400 drug poisoning deaths in England and Wales — the highest on record. Opioids, particularly heroin and increasingly synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, were involved in the majority of these deaths.
Many of these deaths were preventable. The main tool for preventing opioid overdose deaths is naloxone — a medication that reverses opioid overdose rapidly, is safe, and can be administered by anyone, not just healthcare professionals.
This module gives you the knowledge to recognise opioid overdose, respond appropriately, and understand naloxone. It is practical, not clinical — it is designed to give you information that could save a life. It draws on NHS and public health harm reduction resources.
This is a Foundation-level module within Subject 6: Substance Use and Recovery.