Whether it's a concert, festival, club night or comedy gig - we all love getting out and about! However, some venues have prevented people with Addison’s or adrenal insufficiency from taking their injection kits into venues with them.

Unfortunately, this issue continues even for people with more well-known conditions such as Diabetes, and understandably security has become even stricter following the rise of needle spiking in nightclubs and other nightlife venues in the UK. Spiking injections, also known as needle spiking, takes place when an unsuspecting person is injected with drugs using a needle, using similar drugs as used to spike drinks.

However, this doesn’t make it ok to not allow a person with Addison’s or adrenal insufficiency to take their injection kit into a venue and these incidences can leave the individual feeling embarrassed, or as a consequence won’t take their injection kit out with them in the future.

It is recommended by the Addison’s Clinical Advisory Panel and the Society of Endocrinology to always keep your injection kit with you, as illness or accident can occur at any time. You may not need it - but if you do, you may not survive without it. So below we explain a little bit more about how to go out and have a good time, all with your injection kit safely on you the whole time.

Equality Act 2010

Venues, gigs etc are counted as a service provider and therefore have to follow the principles of the Equality Act 2010 with regards to people with disabilities. Whilst you yourself might not identify as having a disability, people with Addison’s and adrenal insufficiency are covered by the definition of disability. This is because Addison’s and adrenal insufficiency is a life-long condition, it can seriously affect a person’s ability to do normal day-to-day activities and is fatal if left untreated.

Therefore, if a venue does not allow you to take your injection kit in with you, or even your hydrocortisone medication, this would be discriminatory, as it would put you and other people with Addison’s and adrenal insufficiency at a disadvantage and you have been prevented from doing something because of this.

How to avoid any issues

However, no one wants to be quoting policy when out trying to have a good time! So to help ensure you have no issues, here are some simple steps to take:

• Call the venue beforehand to ask about their policy. Let them know you are coming and if they could notify their security/door staff you will be attending carrying necessary sharps. This allows you to answer any question or queries they may have ahead of attending.
• In advance, get a letter from your doctor or nurse to say you have Addison’s or adrenal insufficiency and need to carry an injection kit with you at all times, so you have this ready to go. Some venues will ask to see this. For example, this is the same letter you would need for airport security.
• Always carry the NHS steroid emergency card and wear medical ID (e.g. bracelet) to substantiate the letter.
• Have your kit clearly labelled and make sure extra hydrocortisone tablets are in their packet. You may find it helpful to use the ADSHG stickers on your kit or have this on your doctor’s letter, to also help emphasise the importance of keeping your kit and tablets with you.
• Enjoy your time out!

We recommend if you are going to a particularly large venue, treat it in the same way as if you were travelling through airport security. You know you are permitted to carry your essential medical equipment, however for safety reasons all medication and equipment must be supported by documentation from a relevantly qualified medical professional.

#ShareYourKit

As a charity we try to raise awareness of injection kits so the general public see this side of our invisible health condition through our #ShareYourKit campaign. If you’d like to see these examples of how others with Addison’s or adrenal insufficiency identify and safely store their kit, check out our #ShareYourKit Campaign page.

It's important to talk about kits, be confident in using them, educate friends, family and those who support you and of course - to have prepared your own kit. To understand more about what an Emergency Injection kit is, how to inject and how important it is to use the injection during an adrenal crisis, visit our emergency injection kit page. 

Find out more about Emergency Injection Kits

Provision of a hydrocortisone emergency injection kit is standard practice and is the advice given by the ADSHG Clinical Advisory Panel, Society for Endocrinology, and on the NHS page for Addison's disease, for the prevention of an acute adrenal crisis. If your GP or Endocrinologist is not prescribing you the medication needed for a kit, please visit the"What to do if you are refused an injection kit" on our injection kit page on our website. for step-by-step instructions on what to do next.

Have a great time!

So make that phone call ahead of time and be prepared. If a security guard then does contest the tablets and injection kit you have in your bag or pocket, you have the proof and your explanation ready to go, so not disrupting your evening.

The Endocrine Nurse's view

Lisa Shepherd, ADSHG Medical Trustee and Endocrinology Advanced Nurse Practitioner at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, gives her advice: “Remember that the venue and staff are probably not aware of your condition, the importance of your medication and injection kit. They need reassurance that this equipment is for a genuine reason. Most venues are understanding and accommodating if you contact them with regards to their policy and you have supporting evidence. Some large venues also provide sharp disposal bins, so worth checking. You also have the backing of the 2010 Equality Act, if you need more support.”

It's important to talk about kits, educate your families and carers and emergencies, and prepare your own kit

It was reassuring on our #ShareYourKit to see so many people had been prescribed the injectable hydrocortisone, needles, syringes, vial snaps, water vials and printed instructions they need to self-manage an adrenal crisis if they have to wait a long time for an ambulance or are not able to quickly reach an A&E department to promptly provide them the extra hydrocortisone and other care they need to recover. 

Find out more about Emergency Injection Kits

Provision of a hydrocortisone emergency injection kit is standard practice and is the advice given by the ADSHG Clinical Advisory Panel, Society for Endocrinology, and on the NHS page for Addison's disease, for the prevention of an acute adrenal crisis. If your GP or Endocrinologist is not prescribing you the medication needed for a kit, please visit the"What to do if you are refused an injection kit" on our injection kit page on our website. for step-by-step instructions on what to do next.

This article was first published in the Summer 2022 edition of the ADSHG magazine.

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