Penzance needle & syringe service

You can get new equipment free, whatever you’re injecting, including steroids.

Let staff know what you’re using and they’ll make sure you get the right equipment.

You can get:

• needles (pins)
• syringes (barrels)
• spoons (cookers)
• citric or vitamin C
• filters
• foil
• bins

You should be able to take away as much stuff as you need.

No, you don't have to pay for this service. 

When you visit our needle and syringe service you’ll be able to talk to a trained member of staff in a private room.

They’ll ask you for some basic information, such as your name and date of birth, and ask you what you need.

If you don’t want to give your full name you can give your initials instead.

They’ll also ask if you have any used equipment to return.

Needle exchange staff encourage everyone to return used equipment so they can dispose of it safely.

We won’t tell anyone else that you've been to the needle and syringe service. Anything you tell us is confidential.

Advice about safer injecting – the staff in needle and syringe services are experts in safer injecting. You can ask them about caring for wounds, avoiding infections and anything else to do with injecting.

Scripts – if you’re using an opiate drug like heroin you can talk to staff about getting a script for methadone or buprenorphine so that you can detox or maintain.

Blood tests – you can get tested for viruses that are spread through blood like HIV, hep B and hep C. 

Vaccinations – you can get vaccinated against hep B.

Naloxone – needle and syringe service staff can advise you on preventing overdose. They can give you a free naloxone injection (Prenoxad) or nasal spray (Nyxoid) and train you how to use them. Naloxone reverses the effects of opioid drugs like heroin, morphine and methadone.

Access to other services – staff can help you find other support, including drug or alcohol treatment and advice on sexual health, housing and legal matters.