Pharmacy-based needle exchange (PBNX) schemes in South East England: a survey of service providers

Aims. To describe the activities of service providers with regard to (i) th e business operation and policies defining pharmacy-based needle exchange ( PBNX) in South East England; (ii) the day-to-day work of PBNX outlets from the provider perspective; and (iii) problems encountered by PBNX providers. Design. (i) Postal self-completion questionnaire to all participating PBNX community pharmacies in South East England; and (ii) postal self-completio n questionnaire to needle exchange coordinators. Setting. Community pharmac y needle exchanges. Participants. Pharmacists in charge of needle exchange; and needle exchange coordinators. Findings. Data were collected (i) from 3 81/440 (86.7%) participating community pharmacists, and (ii) 32/36 (88.9%) of coordinators. The study found that PBNX was reaching injecting drug user s (many of whom used PBNX regularly), and providing a wide range of injecti ng equipment. Although pharmacists reported that problems such as shoplifti ng occurred relatively frequently, more serious problems such as violence w ere relatively rare. However, PBNX pharmacists reported needing further tra ining for themselves and their staff. Suggested improvements included bette r advertising of services and improving returns rates for used injecting eq uipment. Conclusion. Needle exchange can reasonably be provided by non-spec ialist health care professionals such as community pharmacists. However, at tention should to be paid to the educational needs of service providers who also require adequate support.