Aberdeen public sector organisations have launched a new mobile app aimed at mitigating drug deaths.

Led by the Alcohol and Drugs Action (ADA) charity, NHS Grampian, the Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership, and tech consultancy Cluster Reply, the app was developed by the city council with a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft.

Called Aberdeen Protects, the app highlights to users the nearest sources of naloxene, a drug that can temporarily reverse the severe effects of an opioid overdose. It also provides video guidance showing how to administer the drug, and uses notifications alerting people if dangerous substances are in circulation, carrying messages of support and advice

Doses of naxolene can make the difference between life and death during an overdose, providing people with more time before paramedics arrive to provide medical assistance.

The programme promoting the use and availability of the drug won cross-party support on Aberdeen City Council. Drug deaths in Aberdeen amounted to 313 people between 2018 and 2023, according to public health Scotland.

1,051 people died in Scotland from preventable drug overdoses in 2023, the highest rate of drug-related deaths in Europe.

The freely available app, which can be found on the Apple and Google app stores, aims to prevent further deaths.

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“We recognise the importance of intervening early to prevent an unnecessary death in addition to preventing people from developing problem drug use,” Susan Webb, director of public health for NHS Grampian, said.

“By services and communities working together and using fantastic new tools like this app we can reduce harm associated with drug use for people at the highest risk of harm, overdose and death.

“It’s not only opioids which can cause overdose, and the app will also help to raise awareness of the support services ADA offers seven days a week for those using illicit and other substances, including alcohol.”

This is just the latest partnership between the Aberdeen City Council and Microsoft – earlier this year DIGIT reported that Microsoft was upgrading the council’s AI chatbot with new language capabilities.