New South Wales Consolidated Acts

DRUG MISUSE AND TRAFFICKING ACT 1985 - SECT 36L

36L Matters for consideration in relation to internal management protocols

In considering the internal management protocols for a proposed injecting centre for the purposes of section 36F, the responsible authorities must have regard to whether provision needs to be made to ensure that any or all of the following requirements are met--

(a) The centre must be under the supervision of a supervisor.

(b) The supervisor must have a general oversighting role of the centre's clinical operations and responsibility for ensuring the adequacy of the clinical procedures used in the centre. This paragraph does not prevent the supervisor from being personally involved in clinical activities in the centre.

(c) All staff directly supervising injecting activities in the centre must be qualified health professionals.

(d) The centre must contain or have satisfactory access to--

(i) primary health care services, including medical consultation and medical assessment services, and

(ii) drug and alcohol counselling services, and

(iii) health education services, and

(iv) drug and alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation services, and

(v) the services of a methadone provider, and

(vi) services for testing for blood-borne and sexually transmissible diseases, and

(vii) services involving a needle and syringe exchange program.

(e) Procedures are to be established to enable staff to ascertain in appropriate cases whether a person seeking admission to the centre is a child.

(f) At least one member of staff--

(i) must be a person with satisfactory qualifications or experience in child protection and youth support, and

(ii) must be in attendance at the centre, or available on call to attend the centre, at all times while it is being used as an injecting centre.

(g) The health and safety of staff and users of the centre are to be protected, having regard to the design and services of the centre.

(h) Services are to be available and procedures established to ensure compliance or ability to comply, at or in connection with the centre, with the relevant requirements of--

(i) this Part, and

(ii) the regulations, and

(iii) the centre's licence conditions, and

(iv) any other provisions of the centre's internal management protocols.

(i) Any requirements prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section.