A charity has established a door-to-door needle exchange service in an effort to prevent the items being discarded in public.
Alcohol and Drugs Action (ADA), based on Hadden Street in Aberdeen, supports people all throughout the city as well as those in central and southern Aberdeenshire.
It provides is a needle exchange which allows injecting drug users to obtain clean equipment and reduce the chances of spreading dangerous diseases.
However, with the restrictions brought about the by the coronavirus pandemic, the charity has had to adapt quickly to continue its important work.
It now provides the exchange programme remotely, with staff driving out to those that need it and has carried out more than 50 deliveries in the last month.
Simon Pringle, service manager at ADA, said the delivery and pick-up project has so far proven very successful, as has the charity’s move to providing online chat support to the people it assists with their struggles.
Mr Pringle said: “We had been considering something like this quite a bit recently, but then Covid-19 happened and we were put very quickly into a position where we had to do something quite radically different.
“People phone the help line, and we ask them if they are already on our system, what they’re using, and if there’s any harm-reduction stuff we can offer, and we make up packs and go out and drop it off at people’s doorsteps.
“Unfortunately, due to social distancing, we’re unable to have as much of a discussion as we’d like at the door, but we are able to get the clean equipment out there.
“During these times, as important is it is to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we’re also working hard to prevent the spread of other illnesses such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV.
“We’re also taking out sin-bins, as some people have used needles in the house, so we can take them off their hands and safely dispose of them.
“We’re trying to get the used ones away so they’re not being put out in the household rubbish or being left in parks, so we see it as a huge public health benefit as well.”
For more information visit www.alcoholanddrugsaction.org.uk
