AMBULANCE crews are to deny police access to drug users who are in need of emergency help.

Under current rules, Greater Manchester Ambulance Service staff automatically notify the police when they treat someone who has taken an overdose of illegal drugs.

However, the fear of police involvement often prompts users to either stop calling for help, or take extreme measures such as leaving the person who has taken the overdose in the street, stripped of their identification.

Now, in an effort to encourage people to ring ambulance crews to deal with overdose victims, GMAS bosses have announced that crews will only call police under exceptional circumstances, such as if a child is involved, or if there is information that crew members have been assaulted at the caller's address on a previous occasion. The aim of the new policy is to help paramedics give more prompt treatment and to make sure they have as much information as possible about which drugs the patient has taken.

The policy is fully supported by Greater Manchester Police and the Greater Manchester drugs charity Lifeline.

GMAS currently deals with more than 1,100 heroin and methadone overdoses each year.

GMAS Divisional Manager Delwyn Wray, who is responsible for implementing the scheme, said: "If paramedics can get to the casualty in time, treatment can be given that can reverse the effect of a heroin overdose.

"This new policy will take away drug users' fear of police involvement and make an early call for help much more likely."

Michael Linnell, of Lifeline, added: "Drug users commonly leave people who have overdosed dumped in phone boxes or in the street before ringing for an ambulance.

"It is quite natural for them to panic in these situations, especially if they are intoxicated and or have illegal drugs with them. The fear of getting into trouble with the police can prevent people ringing for an ambulance."

GMAS is also to launch an education programme in prisons to help cut down on overdose deaths.

New research shows that those recently released from prison are most at risk as during their time in jail, their tolerance to drugs is lost.

If they go back to using the same amount of drugs as before they were imprisoned, they are 34 times more likely to overdose.

Prison inmates will be taught about the new 'no-police' policy, as well as basic first-aid techniques, such as the recovery position.

John Burnside, chief executive of GMAS, said: "Both new policies are aiming to improve the confidence drug users have with the ambulance service.

"GMAS's job is to save lives, not to judge on the wrongs of drug taking."