Thousands of people have nearly died of an overdose since Scotland’s drug problem was declared a public health emergency three years ago, Scottish Labour said.

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) revealed in that time there have been more than 11,500 instances when paramedics have used naloxone, a medicine used to prevent fatal opioid overdoses, according to data obtained by the party using freedom of information powers.

Paul O’Kane, Scottish Labour’s drug policy spokesman and MSP for West Scotland, said the figures were “deeply concerning and illustrate the huge scale of drug-related harms in Scotland”.

“A near-fatal overdose is an awful experience for someone to go through. Not only can it cause significant health harms, it can leave lasting trauma for everyone involved,” he said.

“A public health emergency was declared three years ago but we haven’t seen anywhere near the pace or scale of change required to ensure people get the help they need – despite the best efforts of those on the frontline.”

The MSP called for anyone who suffered a near-fatal overdose to be quickly provided with access to treatment services and other forms of support.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Health Matters