❓ A parliamentary question addresses the legality of nurses providing sterile needles and syringes to people who inject drugs in rural hospitals, with the Minister clarifying the policy and stating that nurses are not being instructed to participate in illegal activities and that training is provided.
AnsweredQoN 1433Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(b) how can nurses be instructed to take part in an illegal activity; and (c) will the Minister have these issues investigated with a view to providing nurses and others with some form of advice?
(c) will the Minister have these issues investigated with a view to providing nurses and others with some form of advice?
(a) Yes (message actually reads 'may result in injury or death'). (b) Nurses are not being instructed to take part in an illegal activity. It is the injection of illicit drugs that is illegal, not the provision of sterile needles and syringes through approved programs. (c) No. Advice in regard to these issues is provided via training.
(b) Nurses are not being instructed to take part in an illegal activity. It is the injection of illicit drugs that is illegal, not the provision of sterile needles and syringes through approved programs. (c) No. Advice in regard to these issues is provided via training.
(c) No. Advice in regard to these issues is provided via training.
(c) will the Minister have these issues investigated with a view to providing nurses and others with some form of advice?
(a) Yes (message actually reads 'may result in injury or death'). (b) Nurses are not being instructed to take part in an illegal activity. It is the injection of illicit drugs that is illegal, not the provision of sterile needles and syringes through approved programs. (c) No. Advice in regard to these issues is provided via training.
(b) Nurses are not being instructed to take part in an illegal activity. It is the injection of illicit drugs that is illegal, not the provision of sterile needles and syringes through approved programs. (c) No. Advice in regard to these issues is provided via training.
(c) No. Advice in regard to these issues is provided via training.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 March 2002
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
29 days
It is assumed that the policy that is referred to is the Department of Health Operational Circular OP 1522/01 (Provision of sterile needles and syringes from rural and regional hospitals to people who inject drugs, 20 December 2001). This Operational Circular requires that all regional and rural hospitals that provide emergency after-hours services provide after-hours access to needles and syringes for people who inject drugs. This service is not an 'exchange' service requiring the return of used injecting equipment but rather an 'availability' service.
(a) Yes (message actually reads 'may result in injury or death').
(b) Nurses are not being instructed to take part in an illegal activity. It is the injection of illicit drugs that is illegal, not the provision of sterile needles and syringes through approved programs.
(c) No. Advice in regard to these issues is provided via training.
(a) Yes (message actually reads 'may result in injury or death').
(b) Nurses are not being instructed to take part in an illegal activity. It is the injection of illicit drugs that is illegal, not the provision of sterile needles and syringes through approved programs.
(c) No. Advice in regard to these issues is provided via training.
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