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Campaign for public to help prevent overdose deaths

Charles Heslett
BBC News, Yorkshire•@CharlesHeslett
Reporting fromBradford
New Vision Bradford A man lying on the pavement pretending to have overdosed being filmed by a camerawoman and an actor holding a mobile phone. New Vision Bradford
A film which highlights the issue is being released as part of the You Can Save A Life campaign

People in Bradford are being encouraged to use special medical kits to treat drug users who overdose in public places.

Each kit contains Naloxone in either injectable or spray form, which can reverse opiate poisoning from drugs like heroin.

They are part of the 'You Can Save A Life' campaign being launched today by the New Vision Bradford drugs and alcohol service.

Figures show that 70 people died from overdoses in Bradford during 2023 compared to 42 a decade earlier in 2013, with many of their deaths seen as avoidable.

A yellow plastic box with a clear plastic syringe and two packets with needle heads inside.
Naloxone can either be injected into the system or administered via a nasal spray

Sean Ridley, area manager for New Vision Bradford, came up with the idea for the campaign.

He said: "I think the main message is that difference between actually stopping and helping.

"Even if you're not confident to carry Naloxone or use Naloxone.

"Ringing 999 and getting that person help is the difference between a loved one being told that person has passed away or having an opportunity to move forward with their life."

'You Can Save a Life' was developed in partnership with the University of Bradford, Bradford Royal Infirmary, ECHO Fire + Medical and West Yorkshire Police.

Student nurses at the university have already been trained to recognise an opiate overdose and how to administer Naloxone.

Mr Ridley said: "We want to start training up more people across the district. People who work in retail, security officers in shopping centres.

"And making sure that if an overdose is witnessed people have the right kit and tools to be able to respond to it."

A man wearing a brown jumper and purple lanyard around his neck standing on a street outside a cafe.
Sean Ridley from New Vision Bradford who is behind the You Can Save A Life campaign

Naloxone can temporarily reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, including those caused by heroin, fentanyl and prescription painkillers.

The kits and training are available from New Vision Bradford, which has a base in the Flourish Cafe on North Parade in the city centre.

A film which shows the different outcomes if someone does or doesn't intervene when they comes across a person who has overdosed is being launched as part of the campaign.

Mr Ridley said: "Each of those people who passes away is somebody's loved one.

"Nobody wakes up one morning and says 'I want to be addicted to heroin'.

"Each person is a human and it's a life and we need to do our part to reduce that figure of 70 deaths."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.