Services Database Needle & Syringe Programme (St Helens Council Area)

1.2 To protect health and reduce the prevalence of blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and drug-related deaths among people accessing the service by:

»             Reducing the incidence of sharing and other high-risk injecting behaviours;

»             Supplying sterile injecting equipment alongside relevant support;

»             Promoting safer injecting practices through education and guidance;

»             Delivering and reinforcing harm reduction messages;

»             Raising awareness of the symptoms of opioid overdose and how to respond effectively in an emergency;

»             Providing training on the correct use of naloxone for reversing opioid overdoses.

1.3 To safeguard public health by preventing the spread of BBVs through the provision of a safe and effective disposal route for used injecting equipment.

1.4 To facilitate access to treatment by offering referrals to Change Grow Live (CGL) services and other health and social care professionals where appropriate.

1.5 To maximise access and retention for all injectors, particularly those who are highly socially excluded or hard to reach.

1.6 To act as a gateway to other health and social care services, helping people accessing the service to access broader support networks as needed.