| 1 | Understand policy and procedures for the supply and exchange of injecting equipment | 1.1 | Describe organisational policies and procedures for supply and exchange of injecting equipment |
| 1.2 | Explain policy guidelines and legislation for needle exchange with children, young people and individuals with learning difficulties |
| 1.3 | Identify the potential benefits of brief interventions with substance users |
| 1.4 | Describe the range of behaviours that can be expected from substance users, and how to deal with these |
| 1.5 | Describe how to recognise and deal with immediate risk of danger to individuals who have used substances |
| 1.6 | Describe the potential blood borne viruses |
| 1.7 | Explain what to do in the event of a needle stick injury occurring |
| 1.8 | Describe the range of substance misuse services available in the locality |
| 1.9 | Explain legal and organisational procedures and requirements regarding the recording, storage and passing on of information relating to individuals and work undertaken with them |
| 2 | Conduct initial assessment of substance users and provide relevant advice | 2.1 | Establish whether the individual is injecting and the frequency of injecting |
| 2.2 | Conduct a health assessment with the individual (e.g. noting skin conditions, abscesses, injecting sites) |
| 2.3 | Provide relevant and timely advice e.g. (a) safe or safer injecting techniques and sites (b) harm minimisation (c) primary health (d) safer sex |
| 2.4 | Provide advice and resources for safe storage and disposal of injecting equipment |
| 2.5 | Refer individuals to other services according to identified need |
| 2.6 | Liaise with providers of other services in line with policies and protocol |
| 3 | Supply and exchange injecting equipment | 3.1 | Demonstrate that: (a) adequate stocks of injecting equipment are maintained (b) injecting equipment is stored safely and securely |
| 3.2 | Dispense injecting equipment to individuals in line with the assessment of their needs |
| 3.3 | Demonstrate safe handling of dispensed and returned injecting equipment |
| 3.4 | Carry out the exchange process discreetly to maintain confidentiality |
| 3.5 | Describe how to deal with any spillages and discarded needles and syringes using the appropriate materials |
| 3.6 | Maintain records of: (a) injecting equipment supply and exchange in line with organisational procedures (b) the needle exchange service. |