Suffolk Supervised Consumption, Needle Exchange and Naloxone
Suffolk Harm Reduction services are provided by Turning Point. Selected Pharmacies in Suffolk are commissioned to provide a range of services to support patients being managed through Turning point, including:
Supervised consumption This is a multidisciplinary approach to prescribing (including GP shared care prescribing) which is carried out in line with recommendations of Drug misuse and dependence guidelines on clinical management (DH 2007) and other central guidance and includes the patients pharmacist.
Suffolk Needle Syringe Exchange Service Pharmacy needle exchange facilities are available to all adult injectors who are using drugs illicitly.
A sharps bin should be offered with every transaction to facilitate the safe disposal of used equipment. Although returning of sharps bins is encouraged, non-returns should not impact on the provision of equipment.
Prenoxad® is the emergency antidote for overdoses caused by heroin and other opioids such as methadone and morphine. The service is for Individuals that present to the pharmacy and state they are family members, carers or significant others of someone at risk of an opioid overdose.
The current provider for this service in Suffolk is Turning Point.
Email: suffolk@turning-point.co.uk (please do not send any patient identifiable data to this address as it is not secure)
Secure Email: ECHUB.turningpointsuffolk@nhs.net
Telephone numbers for the hubs are:
Bury 01284 766554
Ipswich 01473 220240
Lowestoft 01503 531138
If you are interested in offering Supervised Consumption, Needle Exchange or Naloxone in your pharmacy, please contact Turning point for details of how to sign up and contractual information.
Supervised Consumption
Registered pharmacy professionals at the accredited pharmacy should be encouraged to complete a Declaration of Competence (DoC) for “Supervised Consumption of Prescribed Medicines Service” and complete the CPPE Substance use and misuse e-learning programme.
The responsible pharmacist must ensure that delegated tasks are being undertaken safely by competent pharmacy staff. The pharmacy contractor must ensure all pharmacy staff providing the service are appropriately trained.
Contractors will be invited to attend at least one (1) online meeting per year.
Needle Exchange
Registered pharmacy professionals at the accredited pharmacy should be encouraged to complete a Declaration of Competence (DoC) for “Pharmacy Needle and Syringe Programme provision” and complete the CPPE Substance use and misuse e-learning programme.
Staff to be encouraged to complete the free Level 1 NSP practitioner course online training courses from Exchange Supplies.
Contractors will be invited to attend at least one virtual meeting per year to promote service development and update the knowledge of pharmacy staff.
Prenoxad Staff completed the locally approved Prenoxad® training for supply under this service.
Order forms and posters are embedded in the Pharm Outcomes template.
