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Safe Needle Pick Up Plan – Access Place, Prince Albert

Mar 10, 2014 | 2:46 PM

To our fellow Prince Albert Businesses and Community Partners, please accept our greetings from Access Place. We would like to provide you an update on our services and generate partnerships with you to assist in achieving an ongoingSafe downtown Prince Albert and broader community.

Access Place, located at 101-101 15th St East, is a clinic type environment operated by the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region.

We are proud to say we are considered a “Streamline Care Facility” a title larger Canadian cities vision. What this means: we are a clinic, who with directive from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health operates all of its services from one central location. Currently our clinic is comprised of a Sexual Health Clinic, Specialty Infectious Disease Clinics, Outreach Support Services and a Harm Reduction Program known by the title “Straight to the Point Harm Reduction”. The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health defines our mandates and Harm Reduction Strategies.

As contributing members of the community, we share in the recognition of the concerns we all have in the Prince Albert Community regarding some of the negative social determinants which exist around us and the issues that arise with this. As citizens of the community we are also very aware of the issue and concern with the unsafe practice of random disposal of used hypodermic needles.

With Spring 2014 (hopefully) around the corner, we know we will once again be faced with the annual “sprouting” of these unsafely discarded needles as the snow fades. Our goal is to work together within the community to ensure ongoing public safety and well being. We align ourselves with our regions mission statement, “The Prince Albert Parkland Health Region works with people and communities to promote health, prevent illness and provide safe, quality health services” and strive to our vision “Healthy living in healthy communities”.

Copious research and Best Practice clearly indicate that for us, as citizens and tax payers, Harm Reduction Programs are significantly less costly than treatment for blood borne illness, unfortunately without Harm Reduction Programs and education, incidence of blood borne illness is much higher.

We wish all of you to be aware that our program, Straight to the Point Harm Reduction here at Access Place is available to assist. We happily provide education to promote awareness and ease anxieties associated with our concerns. We also can provide guidance and supplies for safe needle clean up.

Access Place is part of an active task force partnered with the local police and fire departments, any local businesses who wish to partner, PADIDA and our Medical Health Officer, entitled Safe Needle PA. This task force meets quarterly. We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to our next meeting – Wednesday April 02, 2014 at 10:00am. The meeting is intended to be discussions and planning for community clean up as spring arrives. Please RSVP prior to March 28, 2014 in the event we need to plan for a larger meeting area, this can be done by contacting Angie at 306-765-6533 or email at asheppard@paphr.sk.ca.

We are conveniently located in the lower level of the PAPHR Addiction Services site located at 101-101 15th ST East or by phone at 306-765-6533 or 306-765-6544. Our clinic is open Monday & Friday 8:00am – 11:00am & 1:00pm – 5:00pm, Tuesday through Thursday 8:00am – 5:00pm.

We have taken the liberty to compile a short resource list, we believe education is imperative. Harm Reduction pertinent information can be viewed at:
 Sask Ministry of Health: www.health.gov.sk.ca/saskatchewan-hiv-strategy
 Sask Ministry of Health HIV Strategy: www.skhiv.ca
 Google: Saskatchewan Harm Reduction
Available from the Main Street Office (Central Ave) or Access Place:
 Prince Albert Parkland Health Region “Safe Needle Disposal” Booklet
 “Postcard” for quick reference to safe needle pick up and how WE CAN HELP

Let’s Partner Together, we can achieve our common vision, a safe, beautiful “Gateway to the North” for our families and our visitors. We look forward to hearing from and working with you!

Care Team Access Place and Outreach Services

Access Place
101-101 15th St East
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
S6V 1G1
(306)765-6544