❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses community safety concerns regarding discarded needles in Broome, particularly near the Health Campus, and explores government responsibility and alternative needle types.
AnsweredQoN 1085Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
FITPACKS — NEEDLE
AND SYRINGE PROGRAM
1085. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
A child in Broome recently received
a needle stick injury from a discarded needle, and I note that locals report a proliferation
of discarded needles in and around the Broome Health Campus.
(1) Does the
government accept any chain of responsibility after needles are distributed,
including when they later injure a community member?
(2) Noting the
minister's answer to question without notice 998 that stated that
pre-packaged needles and syringe packs
include a disposal receptacle and are labelled with safe disposal information,
has the minister considered other measures to enhance community safety?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) Has the minister considered
only distributing self-retracting needles?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) If yes to (4), why have these
not been adopted?
AND SYRINGE PROGRAM
1085. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
A child in Broome recently received
a needle stick injury from a discarded needle, and I note that locals report a proliferation
of discarded needles in and around the Broome Health Campus.
(1) Does the
government accept any chain of responsibility after needles are distributed,
including when they later injure a community member?
(2) Noting the
minister's answer to question without notice 998 that stated that
pre-packaged needles and syringe packs
include a disposal receptacle and are labelled with safe disposal information,
has the minister considered other measures to enhance community safety?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) Has the minister considered
only distributing self-retracting needles?
(5) If no to (4), why not?
(6) If yes to (4), why have these
not been adopted?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the
Minister for Health.
(1) The
Department of Health takes all measures possible to encourage and support the
safe disposal of used needle and syringes.
(2)–(3) Yes.
(4)–(6) Retractable
needles are not deemed suitable for use in the context of intravenous drug use
as they have the potential to increase risk of transmitting bloodborne disease.
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the
Minister for Health.
(1) The
Department of Health takes all measures possible to encourage and support the
safe disposal of used needle and syringes.
(2)–(3) Yes.
(4)–(6) Retractable
needles are not deemed suitable for use in the context of intravenous drug use
as they have the potential to increase risk of transmitting bloodborne disease.
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