This 2 day course has been developed to give a good understanding of the role of Needle and Syringe Programmes play within drug and alcohol services. It will inform delegates of best practice and recognised harm reduction messages to be used when working with injecting drug users, along with an underpinning knowledge of currently injected substances and their associated risk factors.

Delegates will also gain an understanding of health risks and legal factors related to injecting.

As with all Injecting Advice LTD courses the main focus is on giving delegates the practical skills required to work within needle programmes.

Who is the course for

This course was designed for anyone whose role requires them to spend time working within NSPs, however it has also been delivered to DIP teams and other groups working with injecting drug users with great results.

Objectives

•  To gain an overview of the history of NSPs
• To understand the basis of harm reduction
• Understand the issues around sharing equipment
• Understand which drugs are commonly injected and their associated risk factors
• Legal issues relating to the supply of injecting equipment. 
• To be able to identify a wide range of associated risk factors 
• Presenting accurate facts and figures of injecting risks nationally
• Basic overview of steroid injecting issues (optional) 
• Sexual health within needle exchange (optional)