Needle-users 'not disposing of used syringes' safely sparks concern

Some needle-users are not getting rid of used syringes safely because there are not enough collection points, a health group says.

Better Health 4 Middleton says a minority of people with diabetes and other conditions which require them to inject medication are not taking their sharps to a needle exchange or surgery if the trip is too time-consuming.

Health chiefs say it is vital needle-users take personal responsibility for their disposal - particularly at a time when resources are stretched.

But, speaking at a meeting of Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning (HMR CCG), the group’s Tony Ettenfield said it was often ‘damned inconvenient’ for people’.

He also questioned why pharmacies were not able to collect used-needles - given the borough has one needle exchange - in Langley - and four surgeries which will accept syringes.

He said: “It just raises that problem of just throwing them anywhere, and the response that came back from the CCG just led me to believe that the answer is to throw them in a public space because then public health will have to collect them, which is not the ideal situation.”

Mr Ettenfield’s comments referred to previous CCG advice that the council would collect discarded syringes in public spaces if they were to be reported.

He added: “We need to try and find a solution somewhere as to of how we dispose of these needles without throwing them in the general waste.”

Dr Chris Duffy, who chaired the meeting, agreed a solution was needed but said any new money would have to be diverted from elsewhere.

He said: “When there’s not enough funding for everything just to say ‘right, I want everything on my doorstep, otherwise I’m going to throw my needles and harm people’ – that’s not going to help the issue.

“Yes, we can pay pharmacists and practitioners and paid collection services out of the money we’ve got, but that money has to come from somewhere else.

“So you are cutting services, either health services or council services care for the elderly or home care services.”

He stressed that ‘the vast majority of people with diabetes’ disposed of their sharps ‘in the appropriate way,’ and it was unlikely irresponsible users would alter their behaviour, even if there were extra facilities.

He added: “It’s about personal responsibility as well. Saying ‘because I can’t just walk three doors to drop my needles in I’m just going to throw it in the park’  that’s an approach and attitude from people that aren’t going to use the services anyway.”

Dr Duffy added that, while there was a problem it was important to look at the bigger picture.

He said: “Nationally there’s a shortage of money but for health and social services, there are bigger issues like care for the elderly, care for dementia  and home care services,

“To cut those services because some people are not taking personal responsibility for their needles – and it’s a small minority who do that – we have to draw the line somewhere.”

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter