Brotherhood of St. Laurence welcomes trial pill testing service to Fitzroy

Today the Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) welcomed the Victorian government’s announcement that Victoria’s first fixed site pill testing service will open its doors in Fitzroy.

Following a request from the Victorian Department of Health, BSL has entered an agreement that will see the ground floor of its 95 Brunswick Street Fitzroy site used for the trial health service. 

BSL Executive Director Dr Travers McLeod said the social justice organisation is proud to play a small role to support the Department of Health and the consortium of trusted and experienced organisations – Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS), The Loop Australia and Harm Reduction Victoria who will run the service. 

  “BSL supports evidence-based approaches that prioritise harm minimisation, health and wellbeing and we look forward to welcoming this important health service to the local Fitzroy community when it opens its doors in August,” Dr McLeod said today. 

“Harm minimisation services reflect BSL’s support for inclusion over exclusion. People who use drugs have a human right to access non-judgmental health services that treat them with dignity, keep them safe, and enable informed choices and goals – whether that’s safer use, treatment or recovery.” 

Dr McLeod said the addition of the trial fixed site at 95 Brunswick Street will provide an important harm minimisation health service that complements existing health and community services in Fitzroy. As well as pill testing, the health service trial will provide other harm minimisation supports to people who use drugs including education, information, and referral to other health services and treatment, when relevant and with consent.   

“While BSL will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the service, we welcome the consortia to our local community and our Fitzroy Hub, and look forward to the outcomes of this important trial. 

“We congratulate the Victorian government for their ongoing investment in drug harm minimisation, an approach that puts people’s health and safety first. 

“We also look forward to supporting the government, Department of Health and service providers to continue important conversations with the community about drug harm minimisation, so we can shift the conversation around drug use from stigma to support, to ensure that people can access non-judgmental support when they need it, and be safe and well,” Dr McLeod said. 

For further information regarding the fixed site pill testing service, visit the Department of Health’s website at www.health.vic.gov.au/alcohol-and-drugs/pill-testing or the consortia partners website at www.ysas.org.au/victorias-drug-checking-service/ . 

BSL media contact: media@bsl.org.au or 0491 287 359