NEWS
NEW INITIATIVE TO TACKLE DRUGS ON NI STREETS
An initiative known as RAPID (Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs), which is helping to remove illegal and prescription drugs from our streets by providing drug disposal bins, is to be rolled out across Northern Ireland after a successful pilot. This new initiative is just the latest in a wide range of coordinated action across agencies to reduce harm from the misuse of alcohol and drugs.
There are currently fourteen bins in existence, sited mainly in the Belfast, South Eastern and Northern Health and Social Care Trust (HSCT) areas. To date, over 65,000 tablets (over 90 per cent of which have been prescription drugs) have been removed from our streets through this project.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) will be working closely with local Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams (DACTs) and Policing and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs) to identify and then work with communities and businesses within their catchment areas who
may benefit from taking part in the initiative and having a RAPID drug disposal bin installed.
RAPID has three aims:
• Removal of prescription, illegal and new psychoactive substances (often referred to as ‘legal highs’ and now illegal following the introduction of the Psychoactive Substances Act in May 2016) from communities.
• Provision of information and support to individuals, families, local businesses and community organisations to raise awareness of the effects and risks of using/ misusing illegal and/or prescription drugs.
• Bringing together community and statutory agencies, local businesses and the general public under the RAPID initiative to work towards making their local community a safer place to live.
‘Alcohol and drug misuse is a common issue and causes suffering and ill health to individuals, families and communities in Northern Ireland,’
said Kelly Gilliland, Senior Health Improvement Officer at the PHA. ‘The RAPID initiative was initially piloted in 2010, and due to its success, as a joint health and community safety initiative, all of the partners are keen that it is further developed and expanded over coming years to install further bins across Northern Ireland, enabling more people and communities to learn more about the risks and dangers of drug misuse and to dispose of unwanted drugs easily and discreetly.’
Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams and PCSPs will be working together alongside local communities to identify suitable locations where these bins can be installed. Should you have, or come across, unwanted or unused drugs (whether prescribed or illegal) you are encouraged to deposit them in a RAPID bin safely and discreetly, enabling police to then dispose of them and ensuring that they are out of ‘harm’s way’ for good.
For more information, visit:
www.drugsandalcoholni.info/RAPID
OPTIBAC PROBIOTICS HAMPER COMPETITION
Optibac Probiotics recently ran a competition, which was open to all McKeever group pharmacies and the winner was the pharmacy who promoted and sold the most units of OptiBac Probiotics for the month of June. Many of these were new accounts, but the pharmacy that won took part in several training sessions.
The winning branch was McKeevers Pharmacy in Dobbin Way, Armagh and pictured right are employees, Maritta and Helen, who are pictured with (centre) Judith Doyle, Sales Representative from NI OptiBac Probiotics.
CONVICTION FOR FOREIGN FOOD COMPANY
SELLING POM Food retail company Karolina Int Foods Ltd has been sentenced at Newry Magistrates’ Court having pleaded guilty to the illegal sale of prescription medicines from its specialist Eastern European convenience food stores in Newry and Portadown.
The company was fined £1,000 (plus offender levy) and received a conditional discharge for twelve months. The conviction followed inspections by Medicines Regulatory Group (MRG) officers from the Department of Health, focusing on the illegal sales of prescription medicines from unauthorised premises throughout the north of Ireland.
Department of Health enforcement officers visited convenience food stores in Marcus Street, Newry and Woodside, Portadown in October 2015, seizing substantial quantities of illegal medicines found on open sale. The medicines seized were of Polish origin and included those for the treatment of infection and for pain relief.
Maritta and Helen, (centre) Judith Doyle, Sales Representative from NI OptiBac Probiotics.
‘This conviction demonstrates that we are committed to pursuing those involved in the illicit supply of prescription medicines in whatever circumstances they may be found,’ said Peter Moore, Senior Medicines Enforcement Officer with the Department of Health, who led the operation. ‘If you require treatment for a medical condition, a visit to your GP or pharmacist is the best course of action. Prescription and pharmacy medicines should always be obtained from a legitimate high street or online pharmacy.’
PHARMACY IN FOCUS - 39
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