Rotherham Alcohol Services
Milton House
77 Sheffield Road
Rotherham S60 1DA
T 01709 364804
F 01709 839543
Report on the Needle Exchange
4 Surf members supported by 3 members of staff conducted mystery shopper exercise on 16 pharmacies within the Rotherham Borough. All pharmacies were visited within the advertised needle exchange hours.
The survey was completed on 17th,18th and 19th July 2013.
A:Arrive at the pharmacy and ask to use the needle exchange
Pharmacy 1:-A few customers in front of me, but was attended to straight away,asked to go into consultation room, asked for initials and dob.
Pharmacy 2:- waited 5 mins due to someone in the private room, took to another room outside at back of building, asked for details.
Pharmacy 3:-Straight in no waiting- good, asked for initials and dob
Pharmacy 4:-Customers in a queue in front. Took into back not a separate room, assistant asked what did we want and had to seek help, left us with all the stock as well as prescriptions waiting to be collected, asked for initials, dob and postcode.
Pharmacy 5:- Seen straight away taken to room at back asked for initials and dob
Pharmacy 6:- Served straight away, asked for initials and dob.
Pharmacy 7:- Seen straight away took into private room staff very nice, asked for initials, dob and postcode.
Pharmacy 8:- Straight in no other customers,took into consultation room, staff very nice, asked for initials and dob.
Pharmacy 9:- Room in use staff very helpful, informed it could be 15 – 20 mins wait and informed stocks were very low, did not wait.
Pharmacy 10:-Just had to wait for pharmacist a few minutes asked for details initials and dob.
Pharmacy 11:-Not taken into separate room asked in front of other customers over the counter, no details taken.
Pharmacy 12:- Straight in no queue,went into consultation room, asked for initials and dob.
Pharmacy 13:- Straight in no queue. Went in consultation room, when informed no returns assistant shouted across to other staff if they do NX if no returns, asked for details of initials, dob and postcode
Pharmacy 14:- Gave Barnsley post code by mistake and refused because of postcode , was told to go to a chemist nearer to home
Pharmacy 15:- Straight in no queue, asked for initials and dob.
Pharmacy 16:- few minutes wait as assistant was busy with files, then took behind a screen where conversation could be overheard, asked for postcode only.
B:Tell them that you don’t have any returns and you won’t be able to access a needle exchange for a few days. If asked tell them you inject about 3 times a day.
Pharmacy 1:- given 15 barrels and different size needles, wipes, Vit c and sharps bins.
Pharmacy 2:- Given 15 plus 3 wipes and a sharps bin.
Pharmacy 3:- Given 20 barrels and 20 different size needles, wipes and 2 sharps bins
Pharmacy 4:- Given 5 barrels and needles, wipes and cit V plus a sharps bin.
Pharmacy 5:- Given 10 needles, 10 wipes, 10 Cit V and sharps bin
Pharmacy 6:- Given 20 barrels and 20 different size needles, wipes and 2 sharps bins.
Pharmacy 7:- Given 10 1 ml needles, 5 greens, 15 wipes and 1 sharps bin
Pharmacy 8:- Given 20 needles, no barrels, disposable tube, wipes and citric acid..
Pharmacy 9:- did not wait.
Pharmacy 10:- Given 4 of each to take up to Monday, if I took them back I could take some more
Pharmacy 11:- Told I could have what I wanted as greens were out of stock.
Pharmacy 12:-only given 2 and a sharps bin as no returns.
Pharmacy 13:-10 needles were given with wipes, Citric and disposable tube.
Pharmacy 14:- none given as refused because I lived out of area
Pharmacy 15:- 9 1ml, 9 microfine and 3 no 16 plus 10 wipes and a sharps bin.
Pharmacy 16:- 19 needles, disposable tube and wipes.
C: Tell them you usually use micro fines but were struggling to access veins in your arms so want to try a few different size needles with 1ml barrels to access some different sites - but that you also want to take some micro fines.
Pharmacy 1:- Gave different size needles and advice about them.
Pharmacy 2:- Gave different size needles and advice on what needles to use.
Pharmacy 3:- They gave different size needles and micro fines
Pharmacy 4:- Asked what we wanted and then needed to seek help from another assistant, informed us we could only have 5 needles all the same.
Pharmacy 5:- Asked what I used and where I injected, advised by the pharmacist to use microfines
Pharmacy 6:- limited due to no returns, assistant was in doubt so she phoned for advice and she said a mystery shopper was given wrong advice last time.
Pharmacy 7:-given 2 different sizes and info on better injecting
Pharmacy 8:-Given 2 different types of needles but no barrels, didn’t say anything as I thought it was common sense.
Pharmacy 9:- did not stay due to long wait.
Pharmacy 10:- Given 4 of each due to not being before but advised on return I would receive more
Pharmacy 11:- Not good service informed by the assistant I could have what I wanted, then informed in front of other customers Greens were out of stock.
Pharmacy 12:-only given 2 due to no returns, then taken back out into chemist where the pharmacist had filled a bag with 2 needles and a bin, did not ask for advice as other people were watching and she was eager to serve them.
Pharmacy 13:-Given 10, assistant said usually if no returns they only give 5 and asked to make sure I logged in if no returns, because after a few times of no returns I may be refused
Pharmacy 14:- Would not serve due to postcode
Pharmacy 15:- Given a variety of needles, staff very helpful.
Pharmacy 16:- didn’t ask what size just how many.
D:Mention that you have seen people going in their necks – can they give you some advice on this.
Pharmacy 1:- Just informed not to do it.
Pharmacy 2:- Did not know about injecting in neck but given info leaflets about it.
Pharmacy 3:- Just advised not to go into neck
Pharmacy 4:- No advice given, staff did not seem very experienced but very nice.
Pharmacy 5:-Advised it was very dangerous and not to do it, given lots of advice about aids and hepatitis, staff very polite and concerned.
Pharmacy 6:- phoned colleague for advice and was heard over the phone saying “a mystery shopper was given the wrong advice last time”
Pharmacy 7:- just given information on better injecting
Pharmacy 8:-No advice
Pharmacy 9:- didn’t stay due long wait 15 -20 mins
Pharmacy 10:- Offered advice on injecting habits
Pharmacy 11:- No advice.
Pharmacy 12:-did not ask for advice as I was taken back into public area for collection and other people were watching, assistant was eager to serve them.
Pharmacy 13:-Staff very helpful and informative advised not to use in neck.
Pharmacy 14:- refused service due to postcode
Pharmacy 15:- assistant asked pharmacist to talk to us about using in neck, pharmacist explained it was very dangerous.
Pharmacy 16:- assistant didn’t know anything about injecting in neck but advised not to do it.
1
A Registered Charity No: 515691 and A Company Registered by Guarantee No: 1842240
Registered Office: 101-103 Oldham Street, ManchesterM4 1LW