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Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing the harms from using drugs. Harms include but are not limited to:
Harm reduction strategies include promotion of safer drug use such as alternatives to injecting and provision of clean equipment.
Harm reduction services recognise that management and reduction of drug-related harm is a more feasible option than efforts to eliminate drug use entirely.Ā In Tayside we have a range of harm reduction services available including a specialist nursing team, access to opiate substitution therapy (OST) through Substance Misuse Services and Injecting Equipment Provision (IEP) also known as needle exchange.
Tayside Harm Reduction/BBV Nursing Service provides specialist nursing input and support to people who inject drugs
(PWID) across Tayside.
The team are based at South Ward Road, Dundee but deliver clinics across Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross.
The service plays an integral role in reducing the harms associated with injecting drug use for people.Ā The aims of the specialist service are to:
The specialist nurses undertake assessments of individualsā risk, advise on safer injecting techniques, discuss alternatives to injecting, provide overdose awareness training to staff and clients and provide naloxone.Ā They also provide screening for sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy testing, emergency hormonal contraception, hepatitis B vaccination, antibiotic prescribing and assessment for hepatitis C treatment.
The team can be contacted on 01382 204248.
Please have a look at ourĀ Service Finder list for more info.
Injecting Equipment Provision (IEP) provides people who inject drugs with; clean needles, syringes and other injection paraphernalia such as water and citric acid. These services were previously known as Needle Exchanges.
There are a number of health risks associated with injecting drug use:
For many injectors, engagement with an IEP service is a first step towards recovery.
IEP services can be found across Tayside. Look for the symbol below in the window.
Please have a look at our Services FinderĀ for more info.
| Site | Address |
| Your Local Boots | 10 High Street, KIRRIEMUIR, DD8 4EY |
| Well Pharmacy | 112 High Street, ARBROATH, DD11 1HM |
| Well Pharmacy | 9 Fisheracre, ARBROATH, DD11 1LE |
| Davidsons Pharmacy | 98 East High Street, FORFAR, DD8 2ET |
| Davidsons Pharmacy | 41 High Street, BRECHIN, DD9 6EZ |
| Lloyds Pharmacy | 48 High Street, MONTROSE, DD10 8JF |
| Site | Address |
| Hillcrest Futures | 4 South Ward Road, DUNDEE, DD1 1PU |
| Your Local Boots | 94 Albert Street, DUNDEE, DD4 6QQ |
| Your Local Boots | 79 Macalpine Road, DUNDEE, DD3 8RE |
| Your Local Boots | 71 Lothian Crescent, DUNDEE, DD4 0HU |
| Richardsons Chemist | 181 Blackness Road, DUNDEE, DD1 5PH |
| Lloyds Pharmacy | 103 High Street, Lochee, DUNDEE, DD2 3BX |
| Site | Address |
| Drumhar IEP Service | Drumhar Health Centre, North Methven Street, PERTH, PH1 5PD |
| Davidsons Pharmacy | 12 Main Street, Bridgend, PERTH, PH2 7HB |
| Davidsons Pharmacy | 21/23 Wellmeadow, BLAIRGOWRIE, PH10 6AS |
| Lloyds Pharmacy | 115 Glover Street, PERTH, PH2 0JF |
| Right Medicine | 56 High Street, CRIEFF, PH7 3BS |
| Rowlands Pharmacy | 61 Hight Street, KINROSS, KY13 7AA |
There are a number of useful short films produced by Harm Reduction Works that can be found on their You Tube channel
There are a number of alternatives to injecting that the harm reduction team can discuss. These include:
You can access our Safer Injecting leaflet here, to find out about safer injecting sites and needle sizes.
Overdose can be described as a process and therefore it is important to be aware that the effects can kick-in hours after the initial hit.
What to do
Useful life-saving action you could take if you think someone has overdosed:
If casualty is breathing normally:
If casualty NOT breathing normally:
If you or the person has naloxone, you can give them this to buy time until the Emergency Services arrive.
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist; a drug which can temporarily reverse the effects of a potentially fatal overdose involving opioid drugs such as heroin, morphine or methadone.Ā
There are two options for Take Home Naloxone in Tayside
Why is it important?
Intramuscular injection of naloxone is a first aid emergency response to overdose and provides more time for emergency services to attend and medical care to be given. Supplies of ātake homeā naloxone (THN) kits are made, along with training on overdose awareness, to people at risk of opioid overdose in order to reduce the risk of death.Ā
Legal bits
In an emergency ANYONE can legally administer Naloxone to save a life.
However, to supply the naloxone (supplying in advance when there is no emergency but this person is at risk of an opiate overdose) you must attend Naloxone T4T (training for trainers) training programme and also be an approved supplier. Approved suppliers can include nurses, pharmacists and staff working in third sector.
Please note that ANY staff member can train someone on the signs of overdose and how to use naloxone after they have attended the Naloxone T4T training, however, currently in Tayside only certain staff can supply naloxone.
Ā Key Points
Contact Information
For further information please contact
April Anderson
Administrator ā Harm Reduction/BBV Team
(For paperwork, Naloxone kits, to book training)
4 South Ward Road, Dundee DD1 1PN
Telephone Direct: 01382 204248
april.anderson@nhs.scot
Sarah Donaldson, Specialist Pharmacist in Substance Misuse
Naloxone Lead for Tayside
Constitution House
55 Constitution Road
Dundee
DD1 1LB
Telephone: 01382 660 111 (ext 22596)
sarah.donaldson@nhs.scot
Helpful websites
Scottish Drugs Forum
http://www.sdf.org.uk/what-we-do/reducing-harm/take-home-naloxone/
ODnotMe campaign posters for printing/email
Further support material and videos can be found at #STOPTHE DEATHSĀ Stop The Deaths
Staff members of registered services who wish to supply Take Home Naloxone must complete approved Naloxone Training for Trainers (Naloxone T4T).
To book onto Naloxone Training 4 Trainers you can either visit out training page for available sessions or email: tay.thn@nhs.scot
Scottish Drugs Forum also provide an E-Learning resource which is suitable for refresher training:
On completion of the eLearning a certificate will be emailed to you. Ā A copy of this certificate must be retained by the service as evidence of training.Ā A copy must also be emailed to the Tayside Naloxone Programme
Local training is also a requirement.Ā Watch the Tayside Naloxone Programme training video below to provide local context and recording requirements.
If you need any further information please contact us
email:tay.thn@nhs.scot
Call 01382 204248
“Legal Highs” as they used to be called, are now covered by The Psychoactive Substances Act. It was introduced in the UK on the 26th May 2016 and it makes it an offence to manufacture, export/import.
Under the new regulations, possession with intent to supply is an offence. Possession is not an offence, except in a ācustodial institutionā.
Injecting carries the risk of Blood Borne Viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C, risk of vein damage and overdose. Snorting of these drugs is likely to be less risky but still may expose to BBVs and corrosive damage.
HARM REDUCTION ADVICE
Useful Websites:
Edinburgh based harm reduction and information service.
Extensive information on “lived experiences” of substance use.
IPEDs are substances that are taken by people with the intention of improving their physical appearance and/or to enhance their sporting performance.Ā For the most part body image, physical strength and size is the main motivation to use IPEDs.Ā IPEDs can be taken by injection or orally (swallowed).
Risks are particularly high for young people.Ā If IPEDs are taken while a person is still growing they can cause a number of serious problems included stunted growth.
If a person is injecting they also carry the risk of transmission of HIV and other blood borne viruses (BBVs) such as Hepatitis B and C.Ā Injecting can also cause muscle damage, scarring and infections at the site of injection.
Anabolic steroids and other similar IPEDs are now considered Class C in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Before taking steroids, people should consider the alternatives such as:
If you are planning to inject, please visit the harm reduction team to ensure you have enough clean equipment for your cycle.Ā
Useful Websites:
Welsh drug information website
Anabolic Steroids
Edinburgh based, training and support organisation
Chemsex refers to the use of any combination of drugs that includes crystal methamphetamine, mephedrone and/or GHB/GBL by men who have sex with men (MSM) before or during sex.
Although drugs and alcohol have often been used in sexual contexts throughout history, crystal methamphetamine, mephedrone and GHB/GBL provide a particular sexually-disinhibiting āhighā, which represents a different public health concern than that associated with other drugs more commonly used in the past.
Their use has been accompanied by higher-risk sexual activity than has ever been observed or associated with any other kind of drug use. Users of these drugs can feel invulnerable to harm, supremely confident, dismissive of consequences, sexually adventurous, experience a heightened sense of pleasure, and can possess a stamina and endurance that may keep them awake for many days. When used in sexual contexts, this can translate into a reduced concern for safer sex practices and contact with a higher number of partners during a short, concentrated period of time. Unwanted side effects while under the influence can include aggression, paranoia, hallucinations/perceptions of persecution, overdose and more.
Chems use is relatively low in Scotland however the risks and harms from using chems can be significant particularly if crystal methamphetamine and mephedrone are injected (known as āslammingā). If you are injecting, please visit one of our IEP sites to collect clean equipment.
If you are involved in chemsex, it is important that you know how to keep you and your partners as safe as possible. Come along to MOT or sexual health clinic for more information.
Understanding Chemsex by THT gives practical advice about safer drug taking, and how to lower the chance of sexual health risks when mixing drugs and sex.
More information on drugs and sex can be found on THTs Friday/Monday website.
The service is only available for people who live in Tayside and are over 18. Unfortunately we can only provide packs to the following postcodes:
Call us onĀ 01382 200 532, 10am-4pm, Monday to Friday, to discuss your needs and we will send equipment to your home. Alternatively you can use the order form below.
Orders can be sent as a one-off order, or you can set up a standing order to arrange a regular delivery pattern ā weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
The following packs are available to order:
50 kits is the maximum amount we can process in one order, however there is no limit on the number of orders you can place.
Please note, needle heads can be customised, e.g. a 50 pack can contain 50 long blue, 50 1ml syringes and 50 paraphernalia, just let us know in the ‘Extra Information’ box below.
Please note this is a confidential service but we do record your name and address on our system to allow us to post your order. All information is held securely. Please see the GDPR statement below for more information.
There will be no information on the packages that will identify the contents. Sender details (required by Royal Mail), will state: 4 South Ward Road, Dundee DD1 1PN.
Please note we are unable to offer supplies of Naloxone for online ordering, if you need a supply of Naloxone, you must call us on 01382 200 532.
Alternatively, you can click here to order Naloxone supplies from Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs.
If you are interested in finding out more information on preventing overdose and how to give naloxone,Ā Scottish Drugs ForumĀ has created a short e-learning courses on opiate overdose prevention, intervention and naloxone.Ā We recommend to anybody who would like a naloxone kit, to complete this online training before using naloxone.
The online course is free and availableĀ here.
Anyone wishing to supply Take Home Naloxone must complete approved Naloxone Training for Trainers (Naloxone T4T).
For more information on the Tayside Naloxone Programme, please read the section above: Safer Injecting, Alternatives and Naloxone
To book onto Naloxone Training 4 Trainers please email:Ā tay.thn@nhs.scot
GDPR Statement: Your data is held for use by the Postal IEP Service only.Ā We will not contact you for any other reason but we may from time to time include some health promotion material in your order or invite you to provide anonymous feedback on the service. Your email address will be stored to save you from having to provide your full details for every order.Ā We may confirm receipt and advise when orders are on route via email.Ā Your email address will not be used for the communication of personal data and we will never share any data. You can ask to have your details removed from this service at any time by email to tay.bbvmcn@nhs.scotĀ Please note we can only register one user per email address.
For more information, resources and advice see our Harm Reduction Resources Pages here