Services Database Needle & Syringe Exchange

The provision of this Service is not condoning the use of substances. NSP is an important harm reduction intervention: paraphernalia is provided free of charge to service users to increase coverage and reduce the need for sharing/re-using equipment and associated blood borne virus transmission risks. Additionally, the provision of more suitable paraphernalia, brief intervention advice and signposting can reduce further harms, particularly those relating to injecting techniques and injection site problems. NSP also ensures safe and appropriate disposal of associated sharps waste and reduces the risk of needle finds. Providing NSP via the Pharmacy can enable development of a therapeutic relationship and provides additional opportunities for providing timely and supportive advice, especially for people who may not otherwise be engaging with services.

• This Service may only be undertaken by competent Pharmacy staff (as outlined below) but must be under the supervision of the Responsible Pharmacist registered with the GPhC.
• Staff who are deemed as suitably competent to undertake the Service must be recorded as such on the Pharmacy’s local Standard Operating Procedure for NSP.
• It is the responsibility of the Pharmacy to ensure that the staff undertaking the Service have received appropriate training, including completion of relevant NSP competencies/accreditation and relevant health and safety training including blood borne viruses, needlestick injuries and safe disposal of sharps.
• The Responsible Pharmacist must have completed self-declaration via PharmOutcomes to confirm completion of relevant CPPE substance misuse training within 3 months of commencing Service provision.
• The Responsible Pharmacist must have completed Safeguarding training to Level 2 and be DBSchecked in line with current guidance, which must be rechecked/updated in response to any legislative/best practice guidance changes. The Responsible Pharmacist must ensure the suitability of any Pharmacy staff who are one-to-one with a vulnerable service user.
• Where locums or part time staff predominantly operate a pharmacy, the Superintendent Pharmacist or delegated deputy must nominate a lead person to act as a contact. This must be communicated to Humankind promptly.
• Humankind will seek to provide at least one training event per year which will usually be available for access by the wider Pharmacy Team (including locum staff), to support broader development of competency and confidence in the management of substance misuse. The Pharmacy must be represented by at least one member of staff at a minimum of one event per year.
• The Responsible Pharmacist on duty at any time will retain professional responsibility and the Pharmacy shall retain liability for the Service.