Page 4697 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 19 October 2011
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range of commentary that was being made by ANF members and the fact that they actually said they needed to keep talking about all the associated issues. There was a wide range of views, including support of the Public Health Association model suggested in Michael Moore’s report, support for other NSP models and no support for an NSP. I just cannot see how Mr Hanson can use the ANF’s submission to say that we need to stop talking about an NSP when that is not what their submission says at all.
I will read some of the quotes from the ANF submission. One person was quoted as saying:
I support an NSP. There is an NSP going on right now, unregulated, illegal, and unhealthy-dirty. Infection control is a key concern. A successful exchange or supervised injecting program relies on some level of trust from clients; best practice shouldn’t be governed by the lowest common denominator.
Another member said:
I do the BBV’s—
blood-borne viruses—
and I see all too well the problems associated with IVDU—
injecting drug use—
in the AMC. Although an injecting room is low on my agenda and would not be my preference there has to be a way to deliver an NSP to our clients. One for one would be my preference with a confidential register to track all outs and returns. A one for one distribution. Run by one person on set hours or days. Clients also put this model forward.
And a final quote:
I note the report, refers to page 146-147 of the Burnet 2011 report, asserting that there is “overwhelming support for an NSP to be implemented at the AMC. Health staff from the prison also strongly supported the introduction of NSP services.” If this statement is designed to imply total support by health staff, then, in my opinion, this statement is inaccurate. To my knowledge, and from limited discussions with other nurses within the Hume Health Centre, it appears there has been little, if any, open discussion on the issue, and informal conversations I have with some of my colleagues working at the Hume Health Centre indicate that that opinions range from total support, to total opposition, and everywhere in-between, including uncertainty.
That needs to be noted, because the ANF’s submission does not rule out an NSP. It says they have issues with the model but also that they want to keep talking about it so we can get a model that would be suitable. As I said, I do not agree with Mr Hanson’s assertion that we need to stop discussions, because the ANF submission in no way says that.
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