About the Needle Exchange Programme
The needle exchange programme provides sterile injecting equipment. It is available from:
- the Alcohol and Drug Service at Maison Le Pape
- General Hospital
- participating pharmacies
The Needle Exchange: Maison Le Pape
The needle exchange at the Alcohol and Drug Service is based at:
Maison Le Pape
The Parade
St Helier
JE2 3PU
The service is open anyone, of any age. Even if you are registered with the Alcohol and Drug Service, you can get sterile equipment here and it will not affect your treatment in any way.
We are open Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm. The Service is free of charge and anonymous. We have a separate entrance with a buzzer system to ensure confidentiality.
We provide FIT packs for safer drug injection which contain:
- 1ml or 2ml syringes
- citric acid
- pre injection swabs
- Fentanyl testing kits which test for 20 fentanyl variants
We also supply other injecting equipment such as:
- different sized needles and syringes
- single-use disposable spoons
- filters
- swabs
- sterile water amps
- sharps containers
The Needle Exchange: General Hospital
The Needle Exchange at the General Hospital is located at:
The Switchboard Office,
The Parade entrance,
St Helier,
JE1 3QS
The service is open to anyone aged 18 and over, from 5pm to 8am, 7 days per week.
They offer 1ml and 2ml FIT packs free of charge. If you are under 18 years old, visit the Needle Exchange at Maison Le Pape.
The Needle Exchange: participating pharmacies
The Needle Exchange at all participating pharmacies is for anyone aged 18 and over. If you are under 18 years old, visit the Needle Exchange at Maison Le Pape.
Pharmacies who are part of the programme supply 1ml FIT packs only and charge £1.50 per FIT pack.
The Pharmacies participating in the programme are:
- Boots, King Street
- Boots, Queen Street
- Lloyds Pharmacy, David Place
- Lloyds Pharmacy, Burrard Street
- Lloyds Pharmacy, The Parade
- Reid's Pharmacy, New Street
- Reid's Pharmacy, Longueville
- Guardian Medical, Saville Street
The Harm Reduction Worker at the Needle Exchange
Our Harm Reduction Worker is employed by the Alcohol and Drug Service. They work at the Needle Exchange in Maison Le Pape and help minimise the negative consequences associated with alcohol and drug use.
The other services they offer include:
- take home Naloxone
- Dried Blood Spot Testing (DBST)
- help with referrals into the Alcohol and Drug Service
- signposting to other agencies if needed
They also offer confidential advice about:
- safer injecting
- avoiding infections
- Hepatitis and HIV
- overdose prevention
- wound care
- chemsex
- Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs)
Take home Naloxone
The Harm Reduction Worker offers free take home Naloxone nasal spray to anyone accessing the Alcohol and Drug Service including friends and family of people using opiates.
Naloxone is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose by temporarily displacing opioid drug molecules from the receptors in the brain and body.
Opioids are a group of drugs that are often prescribed to manage pain including:
- morphine
- heroin
- methadone
- buprenorphine
- espranor
- codeine
- tramadol
- fentanyl
- oxycodone
An opioid drug overdose happens when you take more drugs than your body can process. Signs and symptoms of an opioid drug overdose include:
- slow, irregular or no breathing
- slow or no heartbeat
- pale, clammy skin
- extreme drowsiness
- unconsciousness, or unable to arouse
- very small pupils
- unusually low blood pressure - hypotension
- lack of oxygen – hypoxia, which can lead to brain damage, cardiac arrest, and death
When to use Naloxone
It is safe to give Naloxone to anyone who is unconscious, even If you are unsure of the cause of unconsciousness. Giving Naloxone is not likely to cause further harm even If they have a severe allergy to it, the outcome is likely to be better than not administering it.
Naloxone will only work for opioid drug overdose it will not reverse overdoses from other drugs, such as:
- alcohol
- benzodiazepines
- psychostimulants like cocaine or amphetamines
To ensure you are confident to use Naloxone and give the best care if you are faced with an overdose situation, we make sure you understand:
- how to recognise an overdose
- how to administer the Naloxone
- basic life support
We also replace used, out of date or lost Naloxone supplies.
Dried Blood Spot Testing (DBST) for Hepatitis and HIV
The Harm Reduction Worker can test you for Hepatitis and HIV using a process called Dried Blood Spot Testing (DBST). It is a completely confidential service.
Anyone accessing the Needle Exchange, or the Alcohol and Drug Service can be tested.
About the test
The test is quick and easy and does not involve drawing a syringe of blood. Instead, we gently prick your finger, collecting small drops of blood on a piece of card. Then clean your finger and give you a plaster.
We send the card away for testing and normally contact you within 2 weeks to collect your results.
About Blood Borne Viruses
Blood Borne Viruses are carried in your blood and can be spread to another person. They can be transmitted through:
- sexual contact
- sharing needles
- needle-stick injuries
- sharing of toothbrushes and razors with someone infected with the virus
- contact between broken or damaged skin and infected body fluids
- contact between mucous membranes and infected body fluids
There are 3 main blood borne viruses:
- HIV
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
Symptoms typically include:
- fever
- fatigue
- dizziness
- muscle aches
Symptoms can vary from person to person. If you are infected with a BBV you may show little or no sign of disease, or you may become severely ill.
Symptoms do not always present themselves immediately and may only occur when the disease is advanced, and damage has been done. This means you may interact with others and unknowingly expose them to infection.
Treating BBVs
All types of viral hepatitis can be controlled and if diagnosed early health problems caused by the virus can be prevented.
If you test positive for Hepatitis B
There is no specific treatment for acute hepatitis B. Chronic hepatitis B can be treated with medicines and assessment.
If you test positive for Hepatitis C
If you test positive for hepatitis C, with your consent, we will refer you to the BBV team at the General Hospital.
We will arrange for you to have a confirmation test and prescribe medication called direct acting antivirals. We are easy to take and directly attack the Hepatitis C virus.
This treatment is available to everyone, even if you are still using alcohol or drugs. We do advise you reduce alcohol use to reduce strain on the liver.
If you test positive for HIV
If you test positive for HIV, with your consent, we will refer you to the BBV team at the General Hospital.
There is currently no cure for HIV, but with treatment you can live a healthy life with HIV. Anti-retroviral (ARV) treatments can supress the virus to levels so low it can be classed as Undetectable and Untransmittable (U=U).
Referrals
If you need a referral into the Alcohol and Drug service this can be with the Harm Reduction Worker at the Needle Exchange. You can also self-refer, or your GP or other healthcare professional can also make a referral for you.
Any information will be treated in confidence, and you will be offered an appointment to come in and see someone if you wish.
Harm reduction advice from other organisations
The Loop: The Loop (wearetheloop.org)
Release: Basic harm reduction advice
Bristol Drugs Project: BDP harm reduction advice
gov.je