Peer Based Harm Reduction WA

26/10/2026

Heading to APSAD 2026? Come say hi to PBHR WA and AIVL!

PBHR WA and the Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League - AIVL are partnering to host a joint booth in the exhibition space at APSAD 2026 in Walyalup (Fremantle) from 8–11 November!

Stop by our booth to:
💬 Chat with peer worker advocates and leaders in harm reduction
📚 Pick up resources
💡 Learn more about our latest community-led initiatives, advocacy work, and peer-driven support across WA and nationally

Whether you're attending a session or exploring the exhibition space, we’d love to connect with you.

19/10/2026

The Annual Needle and Syringe Program Survey is wrapping up soon!
Recent national ANSPS reports show progress, including historic lows in active hep C infection among people who access needle and syringe program services like PBHR WA - proving that peer-led harm reduction is working! But we must make sure that decision makers know ongoing support and resources are still needed. If you haven’t participated yet, there’s still time to show your support.

If you are in Perth, drop into Suite 22, 7 Aberdeen Street. Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm.

If you are in Bunbury, drop into 97 Spencer Street. Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm.

The survey will end on the 23rd October!

If you’re interested, you can check out last year’s ANSPS report here:

Australian NSP Survey National Data Report 2021 – 2025 The Australian Needle Syringe Program Survey (ANSPS) provides serial point prevalence estimates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) (antibody and RNA) and sexual and injecting risk behaviour among people who injec...

14/10/2026

12/10/2026

Your experience matters. Have your say in this year’s finger prick survey! 📝 🩸🍫 💶

Every year in October, the Australian Needle and Syringe Program Survey (ANSPS) helps build a clearer picture of what’s happening in our community. It’s a national survey coordinated by the Kirby Institute that monitors trends in drug use, blood-borne virus rates (like hep C and HIV), and health behaviours across Australia.

The data collected is important because it provides evidence that secures funding for harm reduction services like PBHR WA, protects needle and syringe programs, and proves that we need them.

How it works…

1. Drop in to PBHR WA in Perth or Bunbury from the 12th to the 23rd of October.

2. Complete an anonymous questionnaire about health and harm reduction.

3. Provide a quick finger-prick dried blood spot sample.

4. As a thank you, you’ll receive $10 cash and some chocolate.

Because the survey samples are processed anonymously, you won’t receive test results from your ANSPS dried blood spot sample. However, if you want to know your current hep C status, finger-prick testing is available right here at PBHR WA. You’ll get a fast, accurate result, and our Peer Workers are here to answer your questions and help you access treatment if you need it.

07/10/2026

When you don’t have all the answers - or the energy to hunt the answers down, going back to basics might be the best thing you can do in the short term. Mental health doesn’t always have to mean finding a silver lining in everything. Sometimes, maybe all you can do is focus on the little things to get through the day.

You wouldn’t try and run a marathon if you hadn’t eaten or rested for days! If all you manage today is taking care of your basic needs, you’re doing plenty.

30/09/2026

In Noongar culture, Kambarang - the season of birth - arrives in October, when the weather warms up, rain starts to fade, and nature comes alive. But, instead of relying on a calendar date, Noongar people read the natural signals across their Country to know when the new season has arrived.

Birds are nesting, swooping, and teaching their young to fly. Reptiles, like snakes and lizards, awaken from their winter sleep to bask in the warm sun. As inland waters dry up, families traditionally move back toward the coast and rivers, gathering freshwater crayfish (gilgies) and fish.

The bright orange-yellow flowering of the Moodjar (Nuytsia floribunda) is the single biggest natural indicator of Kambarang. In Noongar spiritual belief, the Moodjar tree is deeply sacred because it is linked to the spirits of ancestors. It is believed that when someone passes away, their spirit travels to rest in the branches of the Moodjar before moving on to the spirit world. Because of this sacred connection, traditional lore teaches that people must never break the branches or burn the wood of the Moodjar tree, especially when it blooms during Kambarang.

Kambarang is a season of transformation, warmth, and new life. Next time you step outside on Noongar Boodja at this time of year, take a look around for signs of the changing season.

🖤💛❤️

24/09/2026

There are only a few days left to take advantage of Injection Infection Fortnight…

Our campaign wraps up on Sunday 27th of September. If you haven’t stopped by yet, come say hi and “Just say, “KNOW!” to injection Infection. We still have plenty of free trial filters available. Now is the perfect time to stock up and have a chat with our team.

Did you know that ffiltering power is measured in microns?

A micron is a very small unit of measurement that is equal to one millionth of a metre. The smaller the micron rating, the more impurities the filter will block. The smallest veins and vessels in your body are only around 5 microns wide. That means, in an ideal world, the filter we use should have a micron rating of 5 or less.

But… …harm reduction is a spectrum. There will always be a range of options that can be sorted into a hierarchy from least safe to safest. Filtering is no different.

At the bottom of the hierarchy is not filtering at all. You might accidentally inject particles that can block veins or capillaries and damage your heart or lungs, or let bacteria and fungal spores enter your bloodstream. If you don’t filter, a missed shot is more likely to lead to an infection such as cellulitis or an abscess.

For a closer look at filtering options and their micron ratings, pick up an Injection Infection Fortnight QR code flyer or check out our Why Filter? resource here:

https://harmreductionwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/PBHR_WA_Why_Filter_Update_2026.pdf

Thank you, Apothicom, for supporting this campaign, year after year. 💚

Stay safe and see you soon. 👍🏼

21/09/2026

18/09/2026

Dealing with a suspected injection-related infection can be stressful, but taking early action is key to staying healthy. If you notice signs like increasing redness, swelling, heat, or throbbing pain around an injection site, don't wait for it to get worse. Prioritising a possible infection early can stop it from escalating into something more complicated and serious.

Here are a few steps to help manage and prioritise your health if you suspect you may have an injection-related infection:

Keep it clean. Gently wash the area with soap and warm water and remember to wash your hands before and after using.

Leave it alone. Don't squeeze or try to drain it yourself, as this can push the infection deeper into your tissue or bloodstream.

Seek medical help early. Head to a trusted healthcare provider - like a PBHR WA Health Clinic. Early treatment often means simple oral antibiotics.

Rotate your sites. Give the affected area plenty of time to heal. Avoid injecting into or near anything resembling a blemish, sore, a rash, or an infection.

Remember, if you experience fever, chills, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, pain or swelling in the armpits or groin, or pain associated with an abscess, seek medical attention immediately as this could be a blood infection.

If you want to talk things through, our Peer Workers have loads of info and are always here for a chat. Sometimes, it can help to check in with a person who has had a similar experience if you can’t decide what to do. Give us a call or stop by our Perth or Bunbury sites - and grab your free extra equipment and free trial filters (including Apothicom Steri5, Sterifilt Basic, and Sterifilt Plus) while you're at it!

13/09/2026

Our 2026 Injection Infection Fortnight campaign kicks off today… "Just say, 'KNOW!' to injection infection!"

Get free extra equipment from the 14th to the 27th of September to help you avoid re-using and/or sharing. Stop by our Perth or Bunbury sites, visit our South West Mobile NSEP Van, schedule an Outreach delivery, or access our Statewide Postal NSP service to grab free extra needles & syringes and some free trial filtering products - thanks to our good friends, Apothicom.

Reusing injecting equipment significantly increases the risk of bacterial infections. A new syringe is only sterile straight out of the wrapper. Once it has been used and exposed to the environment, your skin, or fluids, that sterile seal is broken. The same is true of other sterile equipment like cotton wool, filters, and water ampoules. One of the biggest hidden dangers is moisture, as bacteria absolutely thrive in it. Anything that gets wet and is left sitting around—like the inside of a used barrel, a rinsed syringe, or a damp filter—will quickly start to grow bacteria, even if it looks perfectly clean to the naked eye. When that equipment is used again, those multiplying bacteria are pushed directly into your tissue or your bloodstream, which can lead to painful and serious conditions like abscesses, cellulitis, or endocarditis. To protect your veins and your overall health, the safest move is using fresh sterile equipment.

Using a fresh fit for every hit is easier said than done at times because we end up needing more equipment than we thought we would for one reason or another. That’s why we hold this campaign every year. It’s an opportunity for folks to stock up and build a contingency supply, so we are less likely to run out - whatever life throws at us!

Our NSEP team have loads of harm reduction info on hand and they’re ready to provide filtering demonstrations and equipment advice, as always, to help you make informed choices.

See you this fortnight! 💙