John Cameron, RMN,RGN,MBE Harm Reduction Services Coordinator

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John Cameron, RMN,RGN,MBEHarm Reduction
Services Co-ordinator
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Accessing the Injecting Drug User in a Rural
SettingTo provide a comprehensive harm
reduction service for injecting drug users (IDU)
within a rural setting provides its own set of
problems, unlike the urban mechanism
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Ayrshire Arran is an area of 1200 square
miles and a population of 376,800.
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Harm Reduction Services
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BackpackingMain Reasons for BackpackingUnwill
ing to travel more than 2 miles to access sterile
equipment.Chaotic life styles.Not cost
effective to provide a static exchange.NIMBY
(Not in My Back Yard) factor.In smaller
communities, no guarantee of anonymity and
confidentiality for users of such a service.
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Security Measures2 staff at all timesMobile
phonesAppointment onlyCall back systemNo drugs
/ prescriptions carried
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HEALTH SAFETYThis mobile travel bag
contains sufficient equipment to deal with any
blood spillages both within static sites or on
home visits
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Stats

• 2003-04 2004-05
• North
• Contacts 798 772
• Equipment issued 29060 25337
• Equipment returned 27313 25024
• East
• Contacts 798 772
• Equipment issued 29060 25337
• Equipment returned 27313 25024

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Services Provided

• Needle exchanges
• Harm Reduction Advice
• Primary Health
• Soft tissue damage
• Referral to appropriate agencies
• Hepatitis HIV advice, testing
• Counselling

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• Finally, the main theme is to emphasise making
  services accessible and available to injecting
  drug users throughout Ayrshire, despite the vast
  rural area

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Harm Reduction ServicesAddiction
ServicesBentinck CentreEast Netherton
StreetKILMARNOCKKA1 4AXTel 01563 574237Fax
01563 574238E-mail margaret.penman_at_aapct.scot.nh
s.uk