Harm reduction has become an important part of all drug service interventions, across all levels and all types of treatment. The Government through the National Treatment Agency are keen to ensure services proactively reduce the harms that drug users may cause to themselves and their communities.

This Harm Reduction Strategy has been written for local commissioners, planners, managers and service providers and outlines the five strategic aims to reduce drug-related harms locally. These aims are: to improve the general health of drug users, to reduce the harms caused by injecting including the harm to the environment caused by needle waste, to reduce the spread of blood borne viruses, to reduce overdose and drug related deaths and to protect the children and families of drug users.

Each of these strategic aims has a number of measurable objectives and at the end of the document is an Action Plan for 2008/09 to ensure the timely implementation of the strategy.

Please find below a link to download the Sheffield Harm Reduction Strategy (will open in a new window):

Sheffield Harm Reduction Strategy (PDF file)

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Helen Phillips, Models of Care Co-ordinator, on 0114 205 3672, or send her an email

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Page last updated 17th February 2010 at 1510 GMT