TranslateNeedle and syringe program
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The Tasmanian Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) is a public health initiative that aims to prevent and reduce the transmission of blood-borne viruses, and the occurrence of other injecting related harms, through the provision of free and accessible sterile injecting equipment across the state.
Purpose of the Needle and Syringe Program
Sharing used injecting equipment is the primary way in which hepatitis C is transmitted and also places people at risk of contracting other blood borne viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis B. NSPs prevent hepatitis C and HIV transmission among people who inject drugs and also the wider community.
The program operates through a range of different service providers across Tasmania, including:
- community health services
- community service organisations
- neighbourhood and community houses
- Tasmanian Aboriginal health services
- regional hospitals
- youth organisations
- pharmacies.
Needle and Syringe Program services in Tasmania
The different types of NSP service delivery in Tasmania, include:
- primary outlets
- secondary outlets
- community pharmacy outlets
- syringe dispensing outlets.
Primary NSP outlets
Primary NSPs provide friendly and non-judgemental harm reduction-based support, information, services, and equipment to people who inject drugs, including:
- a wide range of sterile injecting equipment including: needles and syringes, sharps disposal containers, alcohol swabs, pill and bacteria filters, winged infusion sets and sterile water for injection (all provided free of charge excluding sterile water which is available at cost price)
- information on harm reduction and safer injecting practices (including vein care)
- overdose prevention education
- hepatitis C testing and treatment clinics
- sharps disposal facilities
- free take-home naloxone (a medication that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose)
- referrals to external services
| Outlet name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Salvation Army Launceston | 111 Elizabeth Street, Launceston | 6323 7500 |
| Outlet name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Family and Community Connections | 62 Stewart Street, Devonport |
6423 6635 |
| Anglicare (Burnie) | 51 Wilmot Street, Burnie | 6430 3342 |
| Outlet name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Anglicare (Glenorchy) | 436 Main Road, Glenorchy | 1800 243 232 |
| Anglicare (Hobart) | 159 Collins Street (ground floor), Hobart | 6213 3943 or 1800 243 232 |
| Bridgewater Community Centre | 6 Bowden Drive, Bridgewater | 6263 4303 |
| Clarence Integrated Care Centre | 18-22 Bayfield Street, Rosny | 6166 2323 |
Secondary NSP outlets
Secondary NSPs are programs operating within existing organisations, such as community health centres, regional hospitals and community houses. They:
- distribute fit packs containing 1, 3 and 5ml syringes
- may provide services for the appropriate disposal of used injecting equipment
| Outlet name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Barren Island Health Centre | 5 Everett Court – Cape Barren Island | 6359 3566 |
| Flinders Island Aboriginal Association Inc | 16 West Street – Lady Baron, Flinders Island | 6359 3532 |
| Flinders Island Multi-Purpose Centre | James Street - Flinders Island | 6359 0200 |
| Ravenswood Community Health Centre | 39-41 Lambert Street -Ravenswood | 6777 3006 |
| St Helens District Hospital - St Helens | 10 Annie Street - St Helens | 6387 5570 |
| Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre - Launceston | 182 Charles Street - Launceston | 6332 3800 |
| Outlet name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Burnie Community House | 24 Wiseman Street- Burnie | 6433 3219 |
| Devonport Community Health Centre | 23 Steele Street - Devonport | 6478 6166 |
| King Island Hospital | 35 Edward Street- Currie | 6462 9900 |
| North West Regional Hospital | 23 Brickport Road- Burnie | 6493 6000 |
| Rosebery Community Hospital | 1 Hospital Road - Roseberry | 6495 1570 |
| Smithton District Hospital | 74 Brittons Road -Smithton | 6478 9520 |
| West Coast District Hospital | 60-64 Orr Street - Queenstown | 64951541 |
| Wyndarra Centre Inc. - Smithton | 43 Smith Street - Smithton | 6452 2722 |
| Outlet name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan River Service Inc + Gagebrook Community Centre | 191 Lamprill Circle - Gagebrook | 6263 6097 |
| Geeveston Community Centre | 9b School Road - Geeveston | 6297 1616 |
| Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre - Hobart | 56 Patrick Street - Hobart | 6234 0777 |
| Tasmanian Council on Aids, Hepatitis and Related Diseases | 319 Liverpool Street - Hobart | 6234 1242 |
| The Link - Youth Health Service | 57 Liverpool Street - Hobart | 6231 2927 |
| Bridge Treatment and Recovery Services | 63-83 Creek Road - New Town | 6232 2916 |
Community Pharmacy NSP outlets
Community Pharmacy NSP outlets supply fit packs containing 1, 3 and 5ml syringes for a fee.
| Outlet name | Location | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bicheno Pharmacy | 57B Burgess Street, Bicheno | 6375 1062 | |
| Bridport Pharmacy | 93 Main Street, Bridport | 6356 1555 | |
| Chemist Warehouse Launceston | 112A/116 Charles Street, Launceston | 0429 671 536 | |
| Chemist Warehouse Newnham | Shop 1 Newnham Court, 75 George Town Road, Newnham | 0400 825 463 | |
| Deloraine Amcal Pharmacy | London House, Shop 2, 62-64 Emu Bay Road, Deloraine | 6362 2333 | |
| Deloraine Guardian Pharmacy | 15 Meander Valley Road, Deloraine | 0417 569 221 | |
| Epic Pharmacy Kings Meadows | 86 Hobart Road, Kings Meadows | 6344 3658 | |
| Galloways Pharmacy | 15 King Street, Scottsdale | 6352 2777 | |
| George Town Pharmacy | 91 Macquarie Street, George Town | 6382 1424 | |
| Hatton and Laws Pharmacy | 102 Charles Street, Launceston | 6331 4333 | |
| Kings Meadows Discount Pharmacy | 133 Hobart Road | 6344 1484 | |
| Longford Discount Pharmacy | Shop 4, 7A Wellington Street, Longford | 6391 1327 | |
| Perth Pharmacy | 71A Main Road, Perth | 6398 2455 | |
| Priceline Pharmacy Launceston Plaza | Shop 1, Launceston Centre, 15 Racecourse Crescent, Launceston | 6331 7737 | |
| Ravenswood Discount Pharmacy | Shop 8 Eastside Village, 2 Prossers Forest Road, Ravenswood | 6339 2604 | |
| St Helens Pharmacy | 36 Cecilia Street, St Helens | 6376 1374 | |
| St Marys Pharmacy | 44 Main Street, St Marys | 6372 2844 | |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Health Hub | Level 1, 247 Wellington Street, Launceston | 6388 9292 | |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Launceston | 27-29 Brisbane Street, Launceston | 6331 6235 | |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Legana | Shop 2 & 3 Shopping Centre, 8 Legana Grove, Legana | 6330 1001 | |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Mowbray | 4/282 Invermay Road, Mowbray | 6326 2364 | |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Newstead | 167 Elphin Road, Newstead | 6331 2408 | |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Riverside | Shop 3-4, 310 West Tamar Road, Riverside | 6327 3664 | |
| Triabunna Pharmacy | 20 Vicary Street, Triabunna | 6257 3237 | |
| West Tamar Pharmacy | 144 Weld Street, Beaconsfield | 6462 1395 | |
| Westbury Pharmacy | 82 Meander Valley Rd, Westbury | 6393 1161 | |
| Youngtown Pharmacy | 369 Hobart Road, Youngtown | 6343 1788 | |
| Your Pharmacy | 76 Macquarie Street, George Town | 6382 2258 |
| Outlet name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Boland's Pharmacy | 67 Wilson Street, Burnie | 6431 1055 |
| Dixon's Pharmacy | 112 Goldie Street, Wynyard | 6442 2132 |
| Healthpoint Pharmacy Wynyard | 8B Inglis Street, Wynyard | 6442 4323 |
| King Island Pharmacy | 8-10 Main St, Currie, King Island | 6462 1395 |
| Mersey Pharmacy | Shop 2, 62 Wright Street, East Devonport | 6427 8969 |
| Penguin Pharmacy | 105 Main Road, Penguin | 6437 2262 |
| Peter Thompson's Pharmacy | 13 Reibey Street, Ulverstone | 6425 1051 |
| Pharmacy 4 Less Burnie | 35-37 Mount Street, Burnie | 6431 7633 |
| Pharmacy One | Shop 5, Shorewell Plaza 11 Wiseman Street, Burnie |
6433 3660 |
| Priceline Pharmacy Ulverstone | 66 Reibey Street, Ulverstone | 6425 1095 |
| Railton Pharmacy | 33 Foster Street, Railton | 6496 1023 |
| Smithton Pharmacy | 18 King Street, Smithton | 6452 1129 |
| Somerset Pharmacy | 33 Falmouth Street, Somerset | 6435 1133 |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Latrobe | 45A Gilbert Street, Latrobe | 6426 1102 |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Valley Road | 2-5, 35 Valley Road, Devonport | 6424 8008 |
| Turnbull's Pharmacy | 57 Main Street, Sheffield | 6491 1155 |
| Upper Burnie Pharmacy | 205 Mount Street, Burnie | 6431 4545 |
| Westside Pharmacy | 42 Queen Street, Ulverstone | 6425 6666 |
| Wilkinson's TerryWhite Chemmart | 14 Wilson Street, Burnie | 6431 1233 |
| Yolla Community Pharmacy | 1553 Murchison Highway, Yolla | 6438 1469 |
| Zeehan Pharmacy | 120 Main Street, Zeehan | 6471 6503 |
| Outlet name | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Bellerive Quay Pharmacy | 46 Cambridge Road, Bellerive | 6244 3344 |
| Blooms The Chemist Hobart | 71 Bathurst Street | 1800 252 436 |
| Brighton Pharmacy | Shop 1, 172 Brighton Road, Brighton | 6268 0666 |
| Capital Chemist Hobart | 4/232-242 Liverpool Street, Hobart | 6159 6207 |
| Central Highlands Pharmacy | 12 Patrick Street, Bothwell | 6259 5611 |
| Chemist Warehouse Moonah | 68-74 Main Road, Moonah | 6228 4649 |
| Chemist Warehouse North Hobart | Shop 5, 346-352 Elizabeth Street, North Hobart | 6292 5219 |
| Chemist Warehouse Rosny | Tenancy B, 27 Bligh Street, Rosny Park | 6292 5218 |
| Chemist Warehouse Sorell | 2 Gordon Street, Sorell | 6265 2153 |
| Chigwell Pharmacy | Shop 2, 2 Bucaan Street (Allunga Road), Chigwell | 6249 2044 |
| Claremont Pharmacy | 14 Box Hill Road, Claremont | 6249 1022 |
| Davey Street Discount Pharmacy | 179 Davey Street, Hobart | 6223 8243 |
| Derwent Park Pharmacy | 254 Main Road, Derwent Park | 6272 6601 |
| Epic Pharmacy New Town | Shop 1, 30-36 New Town Road, New Town | 6286 0001 |
| FriendlyCareAdvantage New Town | 127 New Town Road, New Town | 6228 1146 |
| Geeveston Pharmacy | 4 Church Street, Geeveston | 6297 1256 |
| Blooms The Chemist Glenorchy | Shop 14, Centro Glenorchy, Eady Street, Glenorchy | 6272 4313 |
| Healthpoint Pharmacy Snug | 2241 Channel Highway, Snug | 6267 9198 |
| Huonville Pharmacy | 59 Main Road, Huonville | 6264 1196 |
| Lauderdale Pharmacy | 2/476 South Arm Road, Lauderdale | 6248 7355 |
| Lenah Valley Amcal Pharmacy | 106 Augusta Road, Lenah Valley | 6228 1268 |
| New Norfolk Pharmacy | 4-6 High Street, New Norfolk | 6261 4865 |
| Amcal New Norfolk Pharmacy | 53 High Street, New Norfolk | 6261 2268 |
| North Hobart Pharmacy | 360 Elizabeth Street, North Hobart | 6234 1136 |
| Oatlands Pharmacy | 90 High Street, Oatlands | 6254 1165 |
| Priceline Pharmacy Bridgewater | Shop 5, Greenpoint Plaza, 26 Greenpoint Road, Bridgewater | 6263 7033 |
| Priceline Pharmacy Glenorchy | 346 Main Road, Glenorchy | 6272 7138 |
| Priceline Pharmacy Kingston | T30/30A Channel Court Shopping Centre, 29 Channel Highway, Kingston | 6229 7775 |
| Rhys Jones Pharmacy | 13 Bayfield Street, Rosny | 6244 4200 |
| Risdon Vale Pharmacy | 2/38 Sugarloaf Road, Risdon Vale | 6243 8777 |
| Rosetta Pharmacy | 500-502 Main Road, Montrose | 6272 8006 |
| Shoreline Amcal Pharmacy | Shop 19 & 20, Shoreline Shopping Centre, Howrah | 6247 9616 |
| South Hobart Pharmacy | 360 Macquarie Street, South Hobart | 6223 5203 |
| Swansea Pharmacy | 28 Franklin Street, Swansea | 6257 8167 |
| Tasman Pharmacy | 1628 Main Road, Nubeena | 6250 2788 |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Dodges Ferry | Shop 1 & 2, 58 Carlton Beach Road, Dodges Ferry | 6265 7457 |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Kingston Town | S10-15 Kingston Town Shopping Centre, 37-59 Maranoa Road, Kingston | 6229 2988 |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Lindisfarne | 17-19 Franklin Street, Lindisfarne | 6243 7221 |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Lindisfarne Medical | 33 Lincoln Street, Lindisfarne | 6243 7675 |
| Complete Care Pharmacy Rosny Park Rosny Park | 1/10 Bayfield Street, Rosny Park | 6244 3921 |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Sandy Bay | 230 Sandy Bay Road, Sandy Bay | 6223 4646 |
| TerryWhite Chemmart Sorell | 31 Gordon Street, Sorell | 6265 1195 |
| Warrane Pharmacy | 3/14 Edgeworth Street, Warrane | 6244 1530 |
| Wentworth Amcal Pharmacy | 178 Clarence Street, Howrah | 6244 5858 |
| West Hobart Amcal Pharmacy | Unit 3, 111 Hill Street, West Hobart | 6234 1003 |
NSP vending machines
NSP vending machines supply fit packs containing 1, 3 and 5ml syringes for a fee.
| Outlet name | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Salvation Army Launceston | 111 Elizabeth Street, Launceston | |
| Youngtown Pharmacy | 369 Hobart Road, Youngtown | |
| Outlet name | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Devonport | 40-48 Best Street, Devonport (Ground level, multi-level carpark) | |
| Outlet name | Location |
|---|---|
| Hobart | Next to 50 Victoria Street, Hobart |
Sharps disposal
All primary NSP outlets provide sharps disposal facilities to people who inject drugs but not to community sharps generators who are not clients of the NSP.
Members of the public can return sharps containers to:
- all local councils (excluding Tasman council)
- a number of 24hr community sharps bins located across the state
- a small number of community pharmacies
24hr community sharps bins
- Salvation Army - 111 Elizabeth Street, Launceston
- Youngtown Pharmacy – 369 Hobart Road, Youngtown
- Ulverstone Central Coast Community Health Centre carpark - 48 Water Street, Ulverstone
- Best Street car park, Devonport
- Sheffield Town Hall - High Street, Sheffield
- Bridgewater Community Centre carpark - 6 Bowden Drive, Bridgewater
- Clarence Integrated Health Centre carpark - 18-22 Bayfield Street, Rosny
- Glenorchy bus mall – 1 Tolosa Street, Glenorchy
- Outside Royal Hobart Hospital - 58 Collins Street, Hobart
- Back of Anglicare Tasmania - Victoria Street, Hobart
- Epic Pharmacy Kings Meadows - 86 Hobart Road, Kings Meadows
- TerryWhite Chemmart Mowbray - 4/282 Invermay Road, Mowbray Newstead
- Newstead TerryWhite Chemmart- 167 Elphin Road, Newstead
- Summerhill Pharmacy - 176 Peel Street, Summerhill
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