These guidelines are relevant to prisoner healthcare policy makers, managers and practitioners involved in caring for people who use drugs and those likely to witness an overdose.

The objective of these guidelines is to assist in the reduction of opioid-related mortality within the first few weeks following prison release.

Specifically these guidelines seek to:

• increase the availability of naloxone to people likely to witness an overdose when they are released from prison
•  increase awareness of the identification of the signs and symptoms of an overdose and equip people with the skills to respond effectively

In order to achieve these outcomes, these guidelines will:

• inform prisoner healthcare policy makers of the benefits of naloxone-on-release from prison
• advise policy makers of the practical steps necessary to introduce naloxone-on-release - inform programme managers of the benefits of naloxone-on-release and provide advice on implementation
• These guidelines are intended to be straightforward and user-friendly, in order that organisations have a ready to use project plan that can be adapted to suit local requirements.