Australian Capital Territory

Public Health (Needle and Syringe Program) Course Approval 2012 (No 1)

Notifiable Instrument NI2012–423

made under the

Public Health Act 1997, s 66B (Courses of Instruction)

1.	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Public Health (Needle and Syringe Program) Course Approval 2012 (No 1).

2.	Commencement
This instrument commences on notification. 

3.	Determination
I approve the course outlined in Schedule 1 to be a course about appropriate health counselling and the hygienic distribution, use, collection and disposal of needles and syringes.  

Katy Gallagher MLA
Minister for Health

17 August 2012

Schedule 1 

Needle and Syringe Program

CONTENTS

1.	Public Health Act 1997

2.	Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) Course Provider

3.	NSP Course Variants

4.	NSP Course Duration

5.	NSP Course Mode of Delivery

6.	NSP Course Content

1.	Public Health Act 1997 

Section 66B of the Public Health Act 1997 states that:
	
(1)	The Minister may approve a course about appropriate health counselling and the hygienic distribution, use, collection and disposal of syringes.

(2)	An approval is a notifiable instrument.

2.	Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) Course Provider

The NSP course is developed and delivered by DIRECTIONS ACT.

3.	NSP Course Variants

a)	Basic NSP Course

Individuals seeking Chief Health Officer approval to supply syringes for the first time are required to attend the Basic NSP Course.  

b)	Refresher NSP Course

Individuals who have previously obtained Chief Health Officer approval to supply syringes and are seeking to renew their approval are required to attend the Refresher NSP Course.

	All approved individuals are required to renew their approval every twelve months. 

4.	NSP Course Duration

The Basic NSP Course is 135 minutes in duration and the Refresher NSP Course is 90 minutes in duration.

5.	NSP Course Mode of Delivery

The course is delivered in a classroom environment and encourages the active participation of trainees.  Trainees are deemed to have satisfactorily completed the course if they are present for the duration of the course.

6.	NSP Course Content

Both the Basic and Refresher training courses cover topics including:

•	requirements of the Public Health Act 1997;
•	hygienic distribution of syringes;
•	hygienic use of syringes;
•	hygienic collection of syringes;
•	hygienic disposal of syringes; and
•	occupational health and safety issues related to the safe handling of syringes.