Needle exchange and harm reduction

Harm reduction services

Harm reduction promotes ‘safer’ drug use. There are now a number of services in Tower Hamlets that provide sterile needles and syringes as well as providing advice on safer injecting and a full range of harm reduction advice and support including access to health screening, immunisation and sexual health services.

You can protect yourself (and others) from serious infections if you..

Use new sterile injecting equipment every time, and never share:

needles and syringes
spoons or cookers
water
filters, or
acids.

Create a ‘safe space’ for preparing your hit

You can do this by getting it together on a surface that you can throw away afterwards (like a newspaper or magazine).

Always dispose of used injecting equipment safely.

Use a sharps bin to store used equipment until you can take it back to the needle exchange.

Always wash your hands and the injecting site.

If you inject drugs you will always inject some bacteria as well. Your immune system will usually find the bacteria and kill them. But sometimes they will cause an infection. This is usually because it is a powerful infection or you have injected a lot of bacteria or your body can’t fight off the infection because you are unwell or your circulation isn’t very good.

If you are prone to infections then take extra care washing your hands and keep your injecting sites clean.

Hepatitis B: Get vaccinated

There is a vaccination against hepatitis B. All drug users and their close families should have it. If you have been vaccinated, you can’t catch hepatitis B (but you could still catch hepatitis C or HIV).

Harm reduction and needle exchange services in Tower Hamlets

Please find a list of services where you can access clean injecting equipment and return any used equipment.

The services also offer harm reduction advice, referral to treatment and access to foil and you can also obtain a naloxone kit.

For opening hours please check with the relevant service in case of changes over time.

Ali’s Pharmacy

93 Watney Street
Shadwell
E1 2QE

Monday – Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 2pm

Bell Pharmacy

534 Roman Road
Bow
E3 5ES

Monday – Saturday 7am - 11pm
Sunday and Bank holidays 10am - 2pm

Green Light Pharmacy

Bromley-by-Bow
St Andrew’s Health Centre
2 Hannaford Walk
E3 3FF

Monday – Sunday 8am - 8pm

Green Light Pharmacy

Stepney
115 Harford Street
E1 4FG

Monday – Friday 8am - 7pm
Saturday 8.30am - 2pm
Sunday - Closed

Lansbury Chemist

85 Chrisp Street
E14 6GG

Monday – Friday 9am - 8pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday Closed

Lincoln Pharmacy

124 St Paul’s Way
E3 4QA

Monday – Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday – Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday Closed

Nash Chemist

817 Commercial Road
E14 7HG
Monday – Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 2pm

Other services providing needle exchange

Reset Treatment Service

71A Johnson Street
E1 0AQ

Tel: 020 3889 9510

Reset Treatment Service

183 Whitechapel Road
E1 1DN

Tel: 020 3889 9510

Reset Outreach and Referral Service

Dellow Centre
82 Wentworth Street
E1 7SA

Tel: 0800 802 1860

Ambrose King Centre (Chemsex packs only)

Royal London Hospital
Mount Terrace
E1 1BB

Tel: 020 7377 7306 or 7307

You can also download the Needle Exchange information leaflet.