Services Database Needle Exchange

The needle exchange scheme offers a confidential service to service users who inject drugs for the provision and return of injecting equipment.

Pharmacies provide people who inject drugs with a service, which includes:

• the provision of sterile injecting equipment;
• information and advice around changing lifestyles;
• basic information on minimising the complications associated with drug misuse; and
• signposting information on how to access drug and alcohol open access or treatment services within the community.

Pharmacists and their employees providing the service shall be competent to provide the service and have some knowledge on the range of drugs injected, including heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, amphetamines and steroids and in particular the range of local Drug and Alcohol Intervention and Treatment Services available to signpost service users to.

Following agreement to proceed, pharmacies will receive an initial visit from a Public Health representative and/or Harm Reduction Co-ordinator to advise on setting up the service and to give practical advice on how the needle exchange transaction can take place within a service user pharmacy setting. This will be complemented with onsite training negotiated on an individual pharmacy basis and it is expected that as many employees will attend as possible. Cascading of the training should take place for employees who have been unable to attend.

Pharmacist and/or registered pharmacy technician - The regular pharmacist and/or registered pharmacy technician overseeing the running of the service must successfully complete the CPPE Substance Misuse 2012 training (open learning 10 hours), which is available as a download from the CPPE website, prior to the commencement of the provision of the service.

Locum pharmacists - All locum pharmacists must be made aware that the Needle Exchange operates within the pharmacy and that the standard operating procedure (SOP) must be adhered to.

Additional free evening workshops will be made available according to needs and demand and publicised by Public Health Dorset and local authority commissioners during the year. These will aim to enhance understanding, build operational practice and create an opportunity for networking.

All pharmacy employees delivering the service shall receive the initial induction training and shall be encouraged to attend the additional local training workshops organised.