Kit Malthouse MP is urging the Government to expand the use of long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB), a medication that supports recovery from opioid addiction and is already in limited use across England.
Mr Malthouse said: “A key part of the ten-year drug strategy I devised as Policing Minister was the rollout of Buprenorphine.
“It’s a medicine used to treat opioid dependence, and can be given as a weekly or monthly injection instead of a daily tablet.
“It makes it easier for people to stay in treatment, stabilises their lives, and cuts the risk of relapse.”
There are currently more than 1,700 people in opiate treatment in Hampshire.
Mr Malthouse believes expanding access to LAIB could help turn their lives around and reduce drug-related reoffending.
He said: “And the financial case is overwhelming — prolific offending linked to heroin addiction can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds each year, while LAIB costs around £3,000.
“In my view, this is the single most effective step we can take to reduce drug deaths, addiction related crime, and the violence that comes with it.
“I hope Ministers listen.”
While LAIB is licensed and recommended in the UK, its uptake in England remains far behind other parts of the UK.
Only five per cent are receiving the treatment, compared to 25 per cent in Scotland, 26 per cent in Northern Ireland and 38 per cent in Wales.
Mr Malthouse is working with Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, to press for wider use of LAIB as part of efforts to break the cycle of addiction and crime.
Buvidal, prolonged-release/injectable buprenorphine, is already used in some community clinics and prisons in England, but most opioid substitution treatment currently involves methadone or sublingual buprenorphine.
Current use of LAIB remains limited despite positive early results.
Pilot studies have reported reduced queues and integration into care pathways.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends Buvidal as an option for people with opioid dependence.
It notes potential side effects, such as injection site reactions and possible drug interactions, but supports its clinical use.
A national trial is ongoing in England – the EXPO study – which is examining the effectiveness and value for money of injectable buprenorphine compared with standard care.
The trial forms part of the NHS’s research into scaling up the treatment.
Despite this, only a small proportion of patients currently benefit from LAIB, and Mr Malthouse says faster action is needed to save lives and prevent further harm.
Hampshire residents struggling with opioid addiction can access support and information through their local NHS trust or council-funded drug and alcohol services.
Services in the county are delivered by organisations such as Inclusion Hampshire and provide confidential advice, treatment and recovery programmes.