No matter what your level of drug use is, staying safe through screening and support is important.
A specialist harm reduction team within the Derby Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service provides health screening, Hepatitis B vaccinations and testing for both Hepatitis C and HIV. Interventions are always undertaken in a supportive way and where appropriate onward referrals are generated. All those accessing drug treatment in Derby are encouraged to receive appropriate testing and vaccination.
The harm reduction team will support any appropriate health checks and where required undertake an ECG to support any decisions in relation to your treatment.
The harm reduction team also offers a specialist steroid clinic. This is a service for users of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. The clinic provides specialist testing such as urea and electrolytes, liver function, cholesterol levels and full blood count tests.
To reduce the sharing of needles, syringes and other drug taking equipment there are a range of needle exchanges based at pharmacies across the city and a specialist needle exchange based in the Derby Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service; St Andrews House, 201 London Road, Derby, DE1 2TZ.
Derby Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service specialist needle exchange provides sterile injecting equipment and offers a range of information and advice about injecting practice including injecting performance enhancing drugs. One-to-one support and advice are provided which may include information around injecting techniques, overdose risks, Hepatitis A and B immunisations, testing for blood borne infections including Hepatitis B, C and HIV and onward referral.
Unlike other aspects of the Service, the needle exchange programme is open to anyone who wishes to access health advice, information, or safe injecting equipment (including safe storage boxes) without the need to access the Service. For more information about the specialist needle exchange telephone 0300 790 0265.
All needle exchanges provide sterile injecting equipment and the safe disposal of used equipment. Pharmacies will provide a pack of injecting equipment depending on what type of drug is used.