Needle and syringe programmes

This guidance is for anyone who provides or commissions a needle and syringe programme, including those working in pharmacies and drug (and alcohol) action teams. Needle and syringe programmes provide sterile injecting equipment to people who inject illicit drugs. They may also support adults who i ...

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This guidance is for anyone who provides or commissions a needle and syringe programme, including those working in pharmacies and drug (and alcohol) action teams.

Needle and syringe programmes provide sterile injecting equipment to people who inject illicit drugs. They may also support adults who inject non-prescribed performance and image-enhancing drugs.

The aim is to reduce the harm caused, particularly the spread of viruses such as hepatitis and HIV.

NICE recommends that local strategic partnerships (LSPs) – including local authorities – and NHS organisations should offer a range of services for people over 18.

All programmes should, as a minimum:

• encourage people who inject drugs to use the services on offer
• provide as many needles and syringes and other injecting equipment as someone needs
• provide sharps bins and advice on how to dispose of equipment safely
• provide advice on safer injecting and ways to get help to stop using drugs or switch to ono-injecting methods.

More specialist programme services should include:

• advice and services to help them stop injecting
• treatment of infections and other health problems,  vaccinations  and housing and benefits advice (or help to access to such services).

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