Greater focus on needle exchange schemes needed
The prevalence of HIV infection in injecting drug users (IDUs) is around
double that seen at the beginning of the decade, a recent report reveals.
And pharmacists specialising in drug misuse say that “Shooting
up”, released last week by the Health
Protection Agency, highlights
the ongoing need for needle exchange services.
Overall, one in 50 IDUs in the UK is now infected with HIV, the report
says, with the prevalence in London as high as one in 25.
Jenny Scott, lecturer in pharmacy practice, University of Bath, said
the report carried some serious messages about HIV. She hoped that this
would be a wake-up call for people who co-ordinate and commission needle
exchange services. Dr Scott explained that there is a lack of strategic
planning to meet local needs. “There are areas where IDUs cannot
get clean needles — and most pharmacy needle exchanges are not
supplying paraphernalia, despite the change in legislation in 2003 that
allows them to do so,” she said.
“
The number of needle exchange outlets has remained static for years,
despite the number of injectors continuing to rise. The new data are
alarming,” she added.
The HPA also says that data suggest an overall increase in the prevalence
of hepatitis C infection among IDUs in recent years. Nearly half of current
IDUs in the UK have been infected with hepatitis C, the report says.
Kay Roberts, pharmacist and independent adviser on substance misuse issues
to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: “Primary care bodies
and drug action teams should ensure that community pharmacies are an
integral part of the range of needle exchange services, and that such
services should be available throughout the week and out of hours.”
Catriona Matheson, senior research fellow, department of general practice
and primary care, University of Aberdeen, said pharmacists should take
a more proactive role in giving advice on safer injecting techniques.
Opportunities and education
Pharmacy needle exchange is by far the cheapest way to provide
clean injecting equipment to drug misusers, according to Jenny
Scott from Bath university. She also said that commissioners need
to be more willing to give something back to pharmacists, both
financially and in the way of support. “Pharmacists should
not be seen as just a supply service; there are just as many clinical
challenges and opportunities within needle exchange as in other
areas of health care. Pharmacists need to be adequately trained,
adequately supported and delivering services to a high standard.”
Kay Roberts said: “As the report [“Shooting up”]
indicates, it is crucially important that needle exchange services
should be staffed by specially trained pharmacists and staff. The
Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education has recently published
new open learning packs for pharmacists and registered pharmacy
technicians in England and NES Pharmacy Scotland is about to publish
its updated and much revised OLPs.” |
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