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She will be able to access needles from her local needleexchange service. If she is unsure where this is she is best contacting the local drug treatment service who will advise her.

Sponge suppliers are LTC Healthcare

Hi We get our sponges from Pasante

Hi – we are actively discouraging use of sponges due to the high risk and incidence of bacterial infection. We are instead, promoting diaphragams, which are used like a ‘moon cup’. Therefore the girls can remove after each punter and clean and replace. We have found this a much better option and have had posistive reports back. They come into our Women’s clinic to be fitted for these and I guess that any gynae clinic or if you have a specialised service will be able to do this. Good luck

Hi Shona, we have been encouraging women to use diaphragms for the last 7 years. This has been a result of increase in baterial vaginosis infection which we see in women working in the sex industry.  Diaphragms are generally made of latex which most women are used to using as thats what condoms are made from.    Also the cleanliness of sponges is not always that great. Many women wash them and re use them. Diaphragms are washed afer each punter but are not made of an absorbant material and so bugs dont remain on them with good washing techniques. Also they help prevent the PH balance changing in womens vaginas which is the greatest cause of many infections including thrush for women. Although we promote the diaphragm, we still see Women who have obtained their own sponges and present with afore mentioned infections. As for research…. I guess we’ve done our own!! I haven’t anything to point you to immediately but it’s just what we have found ourselves!

Hope that’s okay and helpful?

P.S. we are the Harm Reduction Team NHS Lothian.