Needle and syringe programs (NSPs) are a key component of current and previous National Strategies for reducing blood-borne viral infections. The aims of the National Strategies are to reduce the transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C and to reduce associated morbidity, mortality and personal and social impacts. Each National Strategy outlines a set of indicators for monitoring progress towards these aims and reporting against the indicators through the National Surveillance and Monitoring Plan is a key step in the implementation process.
The NSP National Minimum Data Collection (NSP NMDC) provides information on Australian NSP service provision to enable reporting against key NSP indicators as outlined in the National Surveillance and Monitoring Plan.
Following a meeting with key stakeholders in 2015, the NSP NMDC identifed and agreed on annual collection and collation of data in relation to the following three broad areas of NSP operations:
- Agency-level administrative data (NSP service type and location)
- Client-level data (demographic characteristics of NSP attendees [age, gender and Indigenous status], drugs injected by NSP attendees and health education interventions and referrals provided)
- National needle and syringe distribution.
The inaugural NSP NMDC National Data Report was published in 2016.
The project provides key indicators to enable monitoring and evaluation of the impacts of Australia’s National HIV and Hepatitis C Strategies and Australia’s commitments to the UNAIDS Global AIDS Response.
- Australian Capital Territory Health
- Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL)
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
- Government of South Australia, Department of Health & Ageing
- Government of Western Australia, Department of Health
- Harm Reduction Victoria (HRVic)
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
- Northern Territory Government, Department of Health
- New South Wales, Ministry of Health
- Pharmacy Guild of Australia
- Queensland Health
- Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services
- Victorian Department of Health and Human Services
