AN ACT prisoner was revived after he was accidentally given an overdose of methadone at a protected unit for inmates at risk of self harm.
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Documents, obtained by the ACT Opposition, reveal the prisoner was in custody at the crisis support unit - a 10-bed unit for mentally ill prisoners at high risk of self harm - when the incident occurred on August 29.
A report said the prisoner suffered a seizure at about 1pm and was treated by staff from ACT Corrections and ACT Health.
The prisoner then requested a drink and staff gave him a container of juice.
Staff were unaware that the juice belonged to another detainee who had been storing prescribed methadone in the container with the intention of committing self-harm.
The prisoner suffered a second seizure three hours later and an ambulance was called.
Paramedics administered narcan - an antidote to opiate overdose - after the owner of the juice revealed it was laced with methadone.
The ill prisoner improved immediately with the treatment and was taken to Canberra Hospital when his condition again deteriorated at about 6.30pm. The man has since been released from hospital and returned to the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
ACT Opposition Corrections spokesman Jeremy Hanson said, ''It's unacceptable for this overdose to have occurred at all, let alone in the part of the jail that deals with the ACT's most vulnerable prisoners. This is a truly sad situation ... it makes a mockery of ACT Labor's claim that they could effectively manage a needle exchange at the prison.''
But ACT Corrective Services said the diversion of medication by detainees, including diversion of methadone, was an issue faced by all Australian corrections jurisdictions.
A corrective services spokesman said, ''The rates are usually low and procedures are in place to minimise this type of event. While it is regrettable that this incident occurred, the Health Directorate consider that medication management at the AMC is safe.''
