THE discovery of a used needle and other drug related litter in Dunfermline has prompted a call for rules to be altered in Fife.

Councillor Gavin Ellis, who represented the Dunfermline North ward, raised the concerns after a needle exchange kit, swabs, disposable spoon, and needle were found in the lane between Robertson Road and Alderston Drive.

He has suggested that a change to rules in Fife, which don't require users of the needle exchange programme to return used needles to the pharmacy, unlike other areas in Scotland, could help to alleviate the issue.

He said: "This being an area that I had recently had the council maintenance teams cut back at the community councils request, I decided to walk it and see if I could locate the issue.

"Once near the top, yes, there it was, what I recognised as a needle exchange kit, swabs, disposable spoon, and, of course, a needle.

"I will be asking the local community police and our safer communities officers to monitor the area and residents who come across this type of waste can call Fife council on 03452 555555 and a cleansing crew will be notified.

"On this occasion I’m grateful to our street cleansing staff for their quick removal of the waste."

Fife Health and Social Care Partnership guidelines state that "there is no limit on the numbers of needles, syringes and other injecting paraphernalia that IEP services can give to clients and no requirement for the client to return used equipment in order to receive new supplies".

However, clients are encouraged to return used equipment in the black sharps containers provided.

Graeme Whyte, secretary at Bellyeoman Community Council, said that a change to regulations may be one of the ways to stop the public coming in contact with discarded items of this type.

He told the Press: "It would certainly alleviate that kind of issue. There will always be exceptions, but it would certainly help.

"It's not the first time Gavin has found examples of this around the ward, it would certainly be something that would be helpful and something which will be on the agenda for our next meeting.

"It's a bit I walk frequently with the dogs so it is a concern when dogs go sniffing at the edge of the path, you have to be more cautious.

"Residents are quite concerned about that kind of thing going on in a public place.

"In some places the activities are carried out in controlled places so that would be a question we would be asking if it could happen in the future."

Fife Council's Safer Communities service manager Patricia Spacey confirmed that officers will continue to patrol the area.

She said: "We urge people to be vigilant and report any discarded needles they see by calling 03451 550022.

"We take the issue extremely seriously and council teams will be on site to remove needles, syringes and any other drug related items as soon as possible, and within 24 hours of them being reported."

Dunfermline Press: Drug-related litter, including a used needle, found by Councillor Gavin Ellis.Drug-related litter, including a used needle, found by Councillor Gavin Ellis. (Image: Contributed)

NHS Fife operates a service in a number of community pharmacies across Fife called Injecting Equipment Provision (IEP).

As the name suggests, this service provides injecting equipment including needles and syringes to people who inject drugs and is operated in line with national Scottish Government guidelines.

IEP providers in Dunfermline are Dears Pharmacy, High Street; Lindsay & Gilmour, Alderston Drive; and Well Pharmacy, Elliot Street.

Third Sector partner We Are With You Fife also operate a mobile clinic in Dunfermline at St Margaret’s Church, on Thursday afternoons; James Bank Hostel, on Friday mornings; and Lynebank Hospital, on Friday afternoons.

In addition, there are a number of options available for the safe disposal of used injecting equipment. These include NHS Fife’s Sharps Waste service – available in all community pharmacies in Fife.

Prescribed sharps are used by anyone who uses a need to inject prescribed medication or who self test, for example, for blood sugar levels. This service gives safe and easy access to special sharps containers for patients to store the used sharps in their home before returning them to a pharmacy for safe disposal.

NHS Fife Addiction Service, along with third sector partners ADAPT and We Are With You, also accept returns of sharps waste for safe disposal.

All services in the Dunfermline area have been asked to refocus efforts to encourage people accessing the service to return equipment to prevent reoccurrence.

In addition, We Are With You have been asked to also provide further support for the NHS Fife Waste Service to remove used equipment in public areas safely.

Elizabeth Butters, Fife Alcohol and Drug Partnership Service Manager, Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “We’d encourage people to dispose of used equipment safely and in Fife there are a range of places and services on hand to help do that.

“Those services are also here to give advice, support and treatment to anyone worried about their own, or someone else’s drug use, in confidence, without judgement and trained staff on hand to listen and support.”