This resource is intended for harm reduction service providers with limited experience of working with children and young people who inject drugs. It sets out a process that you can go through quickly, with little cost, to prepare for work with children and young people who are under 18. It is designed to help your organisation and staff to feel safe in commencing this work, and to support you in thinking through the challenging situations and decisions that you face.

 

Preventing the transmission of blood-borne viruses (BBV) such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C among people who inject drugs can have wide-reaching benefits: reducing health harms to individuals and subsequent costs to society.

As of October 1st 2015 naloxone supply without prescription will be legal in the UK for any drugs workers employed in commissioned drug services.

This briefing is for commissioners in local areas, based in local authorities or clinical commissioning groups, who are responsible for commissioning services to prevent and treat harms caused by image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs) and injecting drug use.

 

The content is drawn from published evidence, guidance, and expert consensus. It has been developed by a group of experts who are experienced in working with IPED users.

 

Public Health England have released a briefing on the English situation with take home naloxone, this includes instruction to commissioners that they should not be waiting for the Oct 2015 changes to supply naloxone.