Health bosses plan RAPID increase in number of drugs bins

Health authorities are planning to increase the spread of drugs bins around the Province.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Jul 2016, 17:20 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 21:01 BST
Kelly Gilliland from the Public Health Agency and Liam Ennis from the PSNI at the schemes launchKelly Gilliland from the Public Health Agency and Liam Ennis from the PSNI at the schemes launch
Kelly Gilliland from the Public Health Agency and Liam Ennis from the PSNI at the schemes launch

The scheme is called RAPID (which stands for “Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs”) and the aim is to extend the use of the units, which have been in place in some areas since 2010.

There are currently 14 in the Belfast, South-Eastern and Northern health trust areas.

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They are yellow and are secured in such a way that protects them against being broken into.

Since first installed, more than 65,000 tablets (90 per cent of them prescription medicines) have been deposited in them.

The Public Health Agency said that the aim is that by the end of 2016/17 every trust area will have access to a number of the bins.

It said in a statement: “Items can be deposited anonymously by anyone – be it parents, young people or any person in possession of drugs that have the potential to cause harm.

“The PSNI will empty the bins regularly and will record the information on the drugs deposited before they are destroyed. No personal details are collected.”

Related topics:ProvincePSNIBelfast