Needle and syringe programmes
This is an extract from the guidance. The complete guidance is available at guidance.nice.org.uk/ph18
Introduction
The Department of Health (DH) asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce public health guidance on the optimal provision of needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) among injecting drug users.
The guidance is for NHS and other professionals who have a direct or indirect role in, or responsibility for, NSPs. This includes those working in drug (and alcohol) action teams (D[A]ATs), pharmacies, local authorities and the wider public, voluntary and community sectors. It may also be of interest to people who inject illicit substances and non-prescribed drugs, their families and other members of the public.
The recommendations relate to people over the age of 18 who inject illicit substances and non-prescribed anabolic steroids.
The guidance complements and supports, but does not replace, NICE guidance on drug and substance misuse (for further details, see section 7).
The Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee (PHIAC) developed these recommendations on the basis of two reviews of the evidence, an economic analysis, expert advice, stakeholder comments and fieldwork.
Members of PHIAC are listed in appendix A. The methods used to develop the guidance are summarised in appendix B. Supporting documents used to prepare this document are listed in appendix E. Full details of the evidence collated, including fieldwork data and activities and stakeholder comments, are available on the NICE website, along with a list of the stakeholders involved and NICE's supporting process and methods manuals.