The purpose of injecting equipment provision (IEP) is harm reduction. The provision of injecting equipment is effective in reducing injecting risk behaviours in people who use drugs. This intervention helps prevent the transmission of blood borne viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV among people who inject drugs.
Community pharmacies are an important outlet for IEP in the NHS Lanarkshire area, providing clean injecting equipment and taking back used equipment for safe disposal. There is also an opportunity to deliver other harm reduction interventions, including advice on safer prescribing and signposting to other services.