Needle and Syringe Program Services are a public health program to reduce the spread of blood borne viral infections such as Hepatitis C and HIV amongst people who inject drugs and the wider community.
Needle and Syringe Programs are confidential and anonymous services, which deliver:
- Provision of sterile injecting equipment
- Safe disposal of used injecting equipment via community sharps bins
- Provision of condoms and lubricant
- Education on safer drug use and harm reduction
- Access and referral to health care, and other services.
Needle and Syringe Program services are delivered by:
- Community Health Centres
- Hospitals
- Internal and external dispensers
To assist you in being able to access your nearest Needle and Syringe Program service an interactive map has been developed that contains every public NSP service across NSW.
Sterile injecting equipment can also be obtained from some pharmacies. If you want to find a pharmacy near you that supplies sterile injecting equipment visit the Pharmacy Guild Website. Type “Needle and Syringe Service” in the search column for access to an interactive map.
Hepatitis C and HIV
Sharing or reusing other people’s needles and syringes or other injecting equipment is the most common way to get hepatitis C and puts you at risk of HIV infection.
Refer to Hepatitis C service
Refer to HIV Services
Community Sharps Disposal
Community sharps are needles, syringes, pen needles, lancets and similar equipment used outside medical services, such as in homes and by people who inject drugs.
All Needle and Syringe Program services and Public Hospitals in NSW provide a community sharps disposal service.
Many councils provide community sharps bins for residents to dispose of sharps containers.
Visit Safe Sharps website to locate your nearest disposal facility.
Community sharps management
The community sharps management website provides information about community sharps management in NSW. Community sharps are sharps that have been generated by non-clinical activities e.g. needles, syringes and lancets.
The management of community sharps is a shared responsibility across government, council and other organisations.
Needle clean up
Needle clean up hotline: 1800 633 353
The Needle Clean-Up Hotline is a call centre that takes reports from the public and coordinates the clean-up of dumped needles and syringes in public places anywhere in NSW.
The hotline is staffed – Monday to Friday: 9am – 4pm – with an answering machine at other times.
Links/Key Services:
NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA) is the peak drug user organisation in NSW. NUAA provides education, practical support, information and advocacy to users of illicit drugs, their friends, and allies.
Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL) is the national organisation representing people who use/have used illicit drugs and is the peak body for the state and territory peer-based drug user organisations.
Hepatitis NSW provides information, support, referral and advocacy for people affected by viral hepatitis in NSW.
Drug and Alcohol - For support or referral to specialist services for drug and alcohol issues, please dial: 1800 800 944 (free call) for Access Line