Services Database Needle Exchange (Derby City Area)

Service Description

The following elements of Service delivery will broadly align to the objectives in Section 1.2.

In delivering this Service the Service Provider will demonstrate compliance with all relevant national standards for service quality and clinical governance including compliance with their obligations under Schedule 4 of the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations (Terms of Service of NHS pharmacists) in respect of the provision of essential services and an acceptable system of clinical governance.

The Pharmacy Based Needle Exchange Service will:

• Offer a user friendly, non-judgemental, client centred and confidential service.
• Provide needles, syringes and other equipment used to prepare and take drugs (e.g. swabs, filters, mixing containers) as supplied by the Derby City Council appointed distributor.
• Provide individual waste bins for clients to safely dispose of and return used needle litter as supplied by the Derby City Council appointed distributor.
• Provide advice on minimising the harms caused by illicit drug taking including advice on safer injecting practices, how to avoid and manage an overdose and the safe handling and disposal of injecting equipment.
• Support clients to stop injecting drugs and switch to safer drug taking practices (if these are available) and encourage the client to access and engage with drug treatment.
• In agreement with Commissioners and where need is appropriate, issue injecting equipment to those who take performance enhancing drugs and where this is not the case facilitate access and referral to specialist services for those with high risk injecting behaviours, including image- and performance- enhancing drugs.
• Facilitate access to blood borne virus testing, vaccination and referral to treatment and where commissioned to do so deliver Hepatitis C testing to those not in treatment in accordance with the NHS Community pharmacy Hepatitis C Antibody Testing Service.
• Facilitate access to other health and welfare services as appropriate.
• Safeguard vulnerable adults and children

Not known.