Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada from the perspective of service providers
Abstract Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, an ever-increasing number of people have died from the toxic drug supply in Canada. Emerging evidence suggests that reduced access to harm reduction services has been a contributing factor. However, the precise impacts of the pandemic on supervi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Discover Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00393-0 |
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| author | Tyson Singh Kelsall Michelle Olding Tara Myketiak Nitasha Puri Kanna Hayashi Thomas Kerr Mary Clare Kennedy |
| author_facet | Tyson Singh Kelsall Michelle Olding Tara Myketiak Nitasha Puri Kanna Hayashi Thomas Kerr Mary Clare Kennedy |
| author_sort | Tyson Singh Kelsall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, an ever-increasing number of people have died from the toxic drug supply in Canada. Emerging evidence suggests that reduced access to harm reduction services has been a contributing factor. However, the precise impacts of the pandemic on supervised consumption service (SCS) delivery have not been well characterized. The present study sought to explore the impacts of the pandemic on SCS delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada. Between October 2021 and March 2022, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff from two SCS: SafePoint in Surrey (n = 12) and Insite in Vancouver (n = 9). Thematic analysis focused on key changes to SCS delivery after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on associated challenges and emergent staff responses. Participants described key challenges as: capacity restrictions hindering service access and compromising care quality; exclusion of frontline staff perspectives from evolving SCS policy and practice decision-making; intensified power dynamics between staff and service users; and modified overdose response procedures, combined with a rise in complex overdose presentations, undermining service accessibility and quality. Emergent staff responses to these challenges included: collective staff organizing for changes to policy; individual frontline staff non-compliance with emerging policies; and staff experiencing burnout in their roles. This study highlights how COVID-19-related changes to service delivery produced challenges for SCS staff and service users, while identifying strategies employed by staff to address these challenges. Additionally, the findings point to opportunities to improve care for people who use drugs during intersecting public health crises. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7154ebe72c8e4fbdb9c9bdae5df7cc4e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 3005-0774 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | Discover Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-7154ebe72c8e4fbdb9c9bdae5df7cc4e2025-01-26T12:15:37ZengSpringerDiscover Public Health3005-07742025-01-0122111410.1186/s12982-025-00393-0Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada from the perspective of service providersTyson Singh Kelsall0Michelle Olding1Tara Myketiak2Nitasha Puri3Kanna Hayashi4Thomas Kerr5Mary Clare Kennedy6Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser UniversityBritish Columbia Centre on Substance UseIndependent ResearcherDepartment of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of British ColumbiaFaculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser UniversityBritish Columbia Centre on Substance UseBritish Columbia Centre on Substance UseAbstract Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, an ever-increasing number of people have died from the toxic drug supply in Canada. Emerging evidence suggests that reduced access to harm reduction services has been a contributing factor. However, the precise impacts of the pandemic on supervised consumption service (SCS) delivery have not been well characterized. The present study sought to explore the impacts of the pandemic on SCS delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada. Between October 2021 and March 2022, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff from two SCS: SafePoint in Surrey (n = 12) and Insite in Vancouver (n = 9). Thematic analysis focused on key changes to SCS delivery after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on associated challenges and emergent staff responses. Participants described key challenges as: capacity restrictions hindering service access and compromising care quality; exclusion of frontline staff perspectives from evolving SCS policy and practice decision-making; intensified power dynamics between staff and service users; and modified overdose response procedures, combined with a rise in complex overdose presentations, undermining service accessibility and quality. Emergent staff responses to these challenges included: collective staff organizing for changes to policy; individual frontline staff non-compliance with emerging policies; and staff experiencing burnout in their roles. This study highlights how COVID-19-related changes to service delivery produced challenges for SCS staff and service users, while identifying strategies employed by staff to address these challenges. Additionally, the findings point to opportunities to improve care for people who use drugs during intersecting public health crises.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00393-0Harm reductionSubstance useDrug toxicitySupervised consumptionCOVID-19Healthcare work |
| spellingShingle | Tyson Singh Kelsall Michelle Olding Tara Myketiak Nitasha Puri Kanna Hayashi Thomas Kerr Mary Clare Kennedy Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada from the perspective of service providers Discover Public Health Harm reduction Substance use Drug toxicity Supervised consumption COVID-19 Healthcare work |
| title | Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada from the perspective of service providers |
| title_full | Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada from the perspective of service providers |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada from the perspective of service providers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada from the perspective of service providers |
| title_short | Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in Vancouver and Surrey, Canada from the perspective of service providers |
| title_sort | impacts of the covid 19 pandemic on supervised consumption service delivery in vancouver and surrey canada from the perspective of service providers |
| topic | Harm reduction Substance use Drug toxicity Supervised consumption COVID-19 Healthcare work |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00393-0 |
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