Needle and syringe programmes

Summary

That this House welcomes the Out of Reach report, published by the Hepatitis C Trust, alerting us to the declining access to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and the threat to public health; notes that NSPs are an evidence-based public health intervention which help prevent the transmission of hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV and provide an important point of contact with wider health and support services; notes with concern that only 26% of responding local authorities showed a strong understanding of NSP provision in their area; further notes that, of pharmacies identified through local sources as providing NSP services, only 47% were confirmed as doing so; is further concerned that one third of pharmacies contacted in both the 2023 and 2025 mapping exercises reported that they had stopped providing NSP services; further notes significant variation in the accessibility and quality of NSP provision, including restrictions on the amount of injecting equipment available; recognises the vital role of community pharmacies, drug and alcohol services, outreach services and peer-led organisations in providing high-quality, accessible harm reduction services; believes that accurate and comprehensive information on NSP availability and quality is essential to effective public health planning and the prevention of blood-borne viruses; and calls on the Government to undertake a national evaluation of NSP provision and take action to ensure that NSP provision is adequately monitored, commissioned and resourced across England.

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Timeline

1. 21 October 2026

   Early Day Motion

   That this House welcomes the Out of Reach report, published by the Hepatitis C Trust, alerting us to the declining access to needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and the threat to public health; notes that NSPs are an evidence-based public health intervention which help prevent the transmission of hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV and provide an important point of contact with wider health and support services; notes with concern that only 26% of responding local authorities showed a strong understanding of NSP provision in their area; further notes that, of pharmacies identified through local sources as providing NSP services, only 47% were confirmed as doing so; is further concerned that one third of pharmacies contacted in both the 2023 and 2025 mapping exercises reported that they had stopped providing NSP services; further notes significant variation in the accessibility and quality of NSP provision, including restrictions on the amount of injecting equipment available; recognises the vital role of community pharmacies, drug and alcohol services, outreach services and peer-led organisations in providing high-quality, accessible harm reduction services; believes that accurate and comprehensive information on NSP availability and quality is essential to effective public health planning and the prevention of blood-borne viruses; and calls on the Government to undertake a national evaluation of NSP provision and take action to ensure that NSP provision is adequately monitored, commissioned and resourced across England.

   Source: Early Day Motion

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Sponsors

• Grahame Morris · Labour · Primary sponsor

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