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    Supervised injecting facilities (SIFs) are dedicated spaces where illicit drugs can be used under the watchful eye of health care professionals (particularly nurses), social workers or other trained workers or volunteers.

    Document: Mini Bulletin: Supervised Injecting Facilities

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    What are Supervised injecting facilities?

    “An injecting centre provides the setting and the possibility for a new type of connection with our clients. The power of suspending judgement for those who are the most judged and vilified in our society can be transformative.”1

    Dr Marianne Jauncey, Medical Director, Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (Sydney)

    Supervised injecting facilities (SIFs) are dedicated spaces where illicit drugs can be used under the watchful eye of health care professionals (particularly nurses), social workers or other trained workers or volunteers.

    They are typically located in areas experiencing high levels of public injecting and other drug use issues and are established as a harm reduction response.

    SIFs provide their clients with clean injecting equipment; emergency care (including overdose response and wound care); education; access to rehabilitation, treatment and health care; and disease transmission prevention.2

    Through the support of SIFs, clients often find a pathway to drug treatment services, health care, disease transmission prevention and other essential services such as housing or financial supports.3-8

    These services are also known as Drug Consumption Rooms (DCRs), Supervised Consumption Sites (SCSs) or Safe Injecting Rooms (SIRs). Some services with medical staff onsite are called Medically Supervised Injecting Centres (MSIC), such as the Sydney MSIC.

    Consulting with doctor

    SIFs around the world

    The first SIF opened in Switzerland in 1986 and there were 130 facilities operating globally by late 2020, including two facilities in Australia: Kings Cross, Sydney (opened 2001) and North Richmond, Melbourne (opened 2018).

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    Last updated: 05 Oct 2023