The medical director of Australia’s only medically supervised injecting centre has called for it to be recognised as a legitimate health facility and for an end to its trial status.

Speaking on the eve of her departure from Sydney’s Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC), Ingrid van Beek said it was time to declare the seven year trial a success.

“I wholeheartedly support the ongoing rigorous evaluation and monitoring of health services to ensure their effectiveness, particularly in the illicit drugs area, as needs can change over time, but the MSIC’s apparently endless trial status is a barrier to its integration with the rest of the public health system,” she said.

“This affects …