Hobart NSP is a Needle and Syringe Program (NSP), located at 319 Liverpool Street, Hobart.
It is a harm reduction initiative that reduces the risks from injecting drug use, such as blood borne viruses and STI transmission. It is a statewide program that offers sterile injecting equipment, advice, support and referrals to services and healthcare.
The NSP is open to everyone in the community and operates in a non-judgemental and supportive way. Our clients come from all walks of life and are treated equally and fairly. Harm reduction is not about judgment. Everyone deserves access to healthcare, accurate information and support without stigma.
We provide access to a wide range of supplies, including:
- Fitpacks and injecting packs
- Needles and syringes in a range of gauges and sizes
- Wheel and pill filters
- Sterile water
- Alcohol swabs
- Tourniquets
- Sterile spoons and mixing equipment
- Sharps disposal containers
- Vein locator
- Condoms and safer sex supplies
- Health information and educational resources
If someone isn’t sure what equipment they need, our team can help. No question is too small or too silly.
Prioritising wellbeing
A quick visit to pick up supplies can sometimes turn into a conversation about personal circumstances. Conversations can include discussions around harm reduction, accessing health services and mental health support. Sometimes people just need a quiet and confidential space to be heard. The NSP provides an opportunity to share information, talk through concerns and supports people to make informed decisions about their own health.
We can provide practical advice and support around:
- Safer injecting practices
- Vein care and preserving vein health
- Recognising and responding to overdose
- Drug interactions
- Accessing further support
Naloxone
Naloxone is a medication that temporarily reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
It’s simple to use, safe to administer, and can buy precious time while emergency services are on their way.
We can talk people through:
- How to recognise the signs of an opioid overdose
- What to do in an emergency
- How and when to administer naloxone
- How to access take-home naloxone
- Ways to talk with friends, partners and family members about overdose response
Many people carry naloxone not because they expect to use it, but because the want to be equipped to help anyone who is experiencing an overdose.
Having naloxone nearby can save a life.
Connecting people to care
Hobart NSP can connect people with a range of health and community services, including:
- Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) services
- Counselling and psychosocial support
- General practitioners and primary healthcare providers
- Sexual health checks and STI testing
- Blood-borne virus testing and support
- Peer support and other community organisations
Hepatitis C can be cured
Transmission pathways for hepatitis C are blood transfusions before 1990, the use of unsterile tattoo and piercing tools, through sharing injecting equipment, pregnancy and birth (very small percentage).
The NSP can connect people to free hepatitis C clinics for testing, treatment and support.
Today’s treatments are simple, highly effective and can cure hepatitis C in as little as eight to twelve weeks.
A conversation about hep C doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it starts with “I’ve been meaning to get tested.”
Find NSPs near you: https://aivl.org.au/nsp-directory/