SOHO Rapid Access Clinic Forms
The SOHO Rapid Access Clinic have kindly offered the assessment forms they use for free download via the NNEF website.
Feel free to use these documents as templates for creating your own forms.
Author: Nigel Brunsdon
WHO: Guide to Starting and Managing a Needle Exchange Programme
This guide is designed to assist in expanding the response to HIV among injecting drug users globally. The transmission of HIV among injecting drug users and related populations of sex workers, youth and other vulnerable people is greatly adding to the burden of disease in countries worldwide. Evidence from 20 years of research shows that needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) prevent, control and ultimately reduce prevalence of HIV and other blood-borne infections among injecting drug users.
To do this, many more NSPs will need to be established. Many existing NSPs also need to expand the services that they offer and greatly increase their coverage. How to do this is the topic of sections III and IV. The scaling up of programmes must also include the establishment of many more NSPs in prisons and detention centres. The particular needs of NSPs in such “closed settings” are also covered.
Torbay Young People’s Needle Exchange Policy
The Torbay young people’s needle exchange policy by Safer Communities Torbay and CheckPoint Under 18s Drug and Alcohol Service has been shared for NNEF members to use as a point of best practice in developing their own young peoples NSP policy.
This document (provided by NNEF planning group member Helen Wilks) goes into great detail and includes integration of safeguarding and child protection issues.
Please note this document dates from 2007 and some of the information may now be out of date, please liase with your local safeguarding teams when developing your own policy.
Somerset NSP Paperwork
Turning Point in Somerset have kindly shared a number of the documents they’ve developed for their NSP, including assessments, policies and guidelines.
Crack Information Leaflet (Sheffield)
Emilie Taylor and colleagues from Turning Point, Sheffield have shared the images from their crack information leaflets.
Below are small versions of the images, you can also download them fullsize as a zip file.
Consensus Statement on Best Practice
A consensus best practice statement has been published by the National Needle Exchange Forum, UK Harm Reduction Alliance and Exchange Supplies in response to the increasing numbers of requests for a document to set out the principles by which needle and syringe supply should be organised.
Victoria State Needle and Syringe Programme Policy
The Victoria State Needle and Syringe Programme Policy has been kindly shared for us to use as a point of reference.
This document is a very comprehensive policy looking at all aspects of the provision and delivery of safer injecting equipment, and would work well as the basis template for future policies.
Herefordshire Needle Exchange Report
This is a summary report outlining the operation of Herefordshire (DASH) Needle Exchange Scheme, with reference to national service delivery expectations and recent national and international research and evidence base supporting the requirements for a comprehensive delivery of needle exchange and associated harm reduction interventions for drug users.
It considers requirements for enhanced delivery that, by building on its locally developed platform, would play a significant role in reducing the prevalence of Blood Borne Virus transmission amongst injecting drug users (IDU’s) in Herefordshire.
The report was written by Danny Morris from DASH.
Salvation Army NSP Manual
The Australian Salvation Army Needle and Syringe Programme Policy, Procedures and Resource Manual originally produced in 1995 and revised (this revision) in 2001.
This document was submitted to the NNEF by Andy Hart.
Briefing paper: insurance for needle exchanges
Insurance has become a major issue for needle exchanges. Kerry Thompson, head of services at Exeter Drugs Project has written a briefing paper based on their experiences.
Please note that this document is now quite old and may contain some information that is out of date, the NNEF strongly suggests only using this as a guide. Please get professional advice before finalising insurance for your service.
Briefing paper: insurance for needle exchanges Insurance Feedback Paper – (Nov 2004) Update Feb 06. Kerry Thompson – Head of Office Services (Exeter Drugs Project)
Below is a summary of contacts, our findings and information following our insurance renewal process. I hope this is helpful to you, do not hesitate to contact me on 01392 666734 if I can be of any support.
DrugScope and the Charity Commission provide some information about insurance on their websites.
Insurance Brokers W. Denis are recommended by the following organisations:
- DrugScope
- Federation of Drug and Alcohol Professionals
- Scottish Drugs Forum
- National Treatment Agency
- European Council for Treatment of Addictions. We have used them for our renewal this year. Mark Dutton can be contacted on 0113 243 7209.
Others contacts kindly passed on were:
- Insurance Broker Adams Tingle – Tel: 0870 366 1350
- Higos Insurance Services – Tony Dufort – Tel: 0870 849 4999
Establish your cover requirements & identify any differences between covers e.g. for Professional Indemnity, Professional Liability, Medical Malpractice cover… Consider matching your indemnity/liability limits for each policy e.g. £5,000,000.
Be prepared to provide a lot of information. This will allow the brokers/underwriters to cover activities fully and appropriately, categorise and apportion risk more accurately and provide a more acceptable premium. The level of detail, breakdown and costs included:
- Number and risk categories (in the context of exposure e.g. per week) of needle exchange workers.
- Funding and expenditures for needle exchange.
- Complementary therapies, who provides them, funding received and expenditures per therapy.
- Number of service users seen for various interventions.
- Income percentages split between different activities/interventions.
- Staff qualifications and/or experience.
- Employee, volunteer, placements and/or self employed cover requirements (if not then evidence of certifications will be required).
- Membership of professional bodies and organisations.
- Policies, procedures and protocols e.g. Needle stick injury, Complaints.
- Percentage split of service users by age groups.
- Previous insurance history, including indemnity limits, special extensions/exclusions.
- Changes in business activities and material facts e.g. changing premises, increased business risk.
- Qualifications and experience of Senior Management and/or Directors/Chief Executive.
Note the context of your indemnity cover e.g. financial loss or malpractice. It may not be obvious from the application, and you may require both.
Note exclusions, they can make your policy worthless. For example, in malpractice terms bodily injury in some policies includes mental anguish and emotional distress that may not adequately cover any form of counselling techniques that may be used.
Check HIV or Hepatitis exclusions.
Special extensions may be required e.g. breach of confidentiality that can be added for an additional premium.
Some “charitable” covers provide Trustee Indemnity as part of the package, remember that Charity Commission approval is required.
Expect your premium to jump, our quotes ranged from £7,300 to £10,500 + Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) at 5%. (Nov 04.)
Check if it is a claims made policy.
Try to get cover together as it is not good practice to split cover between different policies. The policies in place should support each other.
Find out why your policy can no longer be renewed. It may not just be risk.
Make reference to any schemes in which you participate e.g. EnCAMS.
Think about other people you may not instantly consider for cover e.g. cleaners.
Provide your broker with as much information as possible. It will ensure they understand your needs and can manage your insurance portfolio to guarantee your cover in every respect.
This process takes a long time. So if your renewal is due soon, start this now!
GOOD LUCK!