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.

Community Needle Exchange Pharmacies

  • Nyxoid Nasal Spray consists of 1.8mg of Naloxone. In each container, there is a single dose of Naloxone
  • Nyxoid Nasal Spray rapidly but temporarily reverses respiratory depression and overdose induced by opiates
  • It will  not reverse an overdose from alcohol, benzodiazepine, crack, mamba etc
  • Nyxoid Naloxone may take between two to five minutes to start working
  • Withdrawal symptoms may occur
  • Remember - Nyxoid temporarily reverses opiate overdose. The effects of Naloxone may last between 20 and 60 minutes.
  • Be vigilant: As Nyxoid works temporarily, the casualty may slip back into an overdosed state and a further dose will need to be given
  • The duration and effect of the Naloxone will depend on which opiate has been used/strength of opiate and how much

Follow-up to Nyxoid Nasal Spray administration

  • Once the casualty has regained consciousness, they may not know they have been rescued from an overdose
  • The casualty may experience very unpleasant opiate withdrawal and try to obtain/use more drugs to counteract these symptoms
  • They may become agitated or aggressive
  • They may try to leave before help arrives
  • They risk going back into an overdosed state
  • Reassure the casualty and explain what has happened
  • Stress that withdrawal symptoms are temporary, and the danger of overdose remains
  • Stress to the casualty the extreme importance of being seen by paramedics

Hand the used Nyxoid pack to the ambulance crew or report to, and return the used Nyxoid pack, to the drug service/individual base

The casualty or representative should ensure that Nyxoid is resupplied

 

Side effects of Nyxoid

  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Increase in blood pressure and faster heart rate

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.

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