Lot 5 - Needle Exchange

To reduce the rate of sharing and other high-risk injecting behaviours by providing sterile injecting equipment advice on harm minimisation and other support. To promote safer injecting practices, to reduce the risk of blood borne virus (BBV) infection and risk of overdose.

To support access routes for service users to other health and social care and to act as a gateway to other services (e.g. specialist substance misuse services, which include substitute prescribing, hepatitis B immunisation, and screening for hepatitis C and HIV). To maximise the access and retention of all injectors into treatment, especially those that are socially excluded.

To prevent where possible initiation into injecting and to encourage alternatives to injecting. To improve the health of local communities by preventing the spread of blood borne infections by ensuring the safe disposal of used injecting equipment.

To provide service users with appropriate health promotion and self-help information and support. To offer Needle Exchange where possible 7 days a week where opening hours permit.