The Pharmacy Needle Exchange (PNEX) Programme is a partnership initiative between the Elton John Aids Foundation, Irish Pharmacy Union and the HSE PNEX Programme which began operating in October 2011. The development of the programme is aligned with Action 34 of the National Drug Strategy 2009-2016 to "expand the availability of, and access to needle exchange services (where required)".

For needle and syringe programmes to be effective they must reach as many individuals as possible (AIDS Projects Management Group, 2007) and the World Health Organisation state that increasing access to needles and equipment amongst PWID contributes greatly to tackling BBVs (WHO, 2004). The provision of pharmacy based needle exchanges in a variety of rural and urban settings is likely to be a key step towards achieving broad coverage and reducing the risk of HIV and other BBVs in Ireland. This study was undertaken to evaluate the three year pilot stage of the programme and progress in delivering needle exchange services to people who inject drugs (PWID), and aimed specifically:

- To understand client and stakeholder satisfaction with needle exchange and attitudes towards and experiences of these services.

- To provide data relating to safer injecting, safer sexual behaviour and the prevalence of blood borne viruses that can be used in comparison to international literature and can be measured against in future evaluations.

- To provide recommendations regarding the development and delivery of services and policy.