$20m to create new safe treatment space at Shellharbour Hospital

Drug and alcohol services in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven will receive a funding boost of almost $50 million, including $20 million for a new assessment unit at Shellharbour Hospital.

NSW Health Minister and Keira MP Ryan Park this week announced a raft of services, provided by both government and non-government organisations, would share in the $47.8 million funding.

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) will receive $12 million over four years to increase access to specialist alcohol and other drug treatment services and $20.4 million over four years for a new four-bed safe assessment unit at Shellharbour Hospital.

ISLHD Drug and Alcohol Service Director David Reid said a space within Shellharbour Hospital was being refurbished to create the fit-for-purpose unit. Work is due to start in the new year.

“Safe assessment units are designed to relocate patients from the emergency department to a safe, low stimulus environment in which patients can be admitted, assessed and treated by a multidisciplinary team,” he said.

“The unit will provide care, treatment and support for patients who are acutely intoxicated or presenting with, or are at risk of, acute, severe behavioural disturbance associated with substance use, acute mental health conditions and other co-occurring health conditions.

“This is a new model and was a specific recommendation of the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Drug Ice.

“Similar types of services have resulted in improved patient outcomes, reduced need for sedation and restraint, as well as a reduction in the length of stay and time to be seen in EDs. Patients can stay for up to 48 hours.”

Mr Reid said once patients were discharged, they would receive ongoing support and care through the community alcohol and other drug sector, the community mental health sector and other health and community services.

ISLHD will use the additional $12 million in funding to expand and enhance a number of existing drug and alcohol services and treatments.

These include methamphetamine case management support, integrated care for people experiencing violence, abuse and neglect, increased access to counselling for young people and additional peer workers and Aboriginal drug and alcohol staff.

Mr Reid said the funding would also allow ISLHD to introduce a new model of care to the region, assertive case management (ACM).

“The program offers intensive case management support to people with complex needs,” he said.

“The program involves a dedicated multidisciplinary team, including counsellors, nurses, and an occupational therapist, working closely with consumers who require more intensive, wraparound care and support.

“ACM programs will be provided for identified or referred high-risk consumers, for example, people with frequent attendance to emergency departments for substance abuse.

“ACM programs are already in place in other local health districts across the state, however, this is the first time the model of care will be provided in ISLHD.”

The program will be provided across the district, with teams based in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra.

Mr Park said the funding was an important investment in life-changing services, which would boost access to much needed support services in the region.

“The programs we are investing in are targeted to meet the unique needs of people living in regional areas, and priority population groups including Aboriginal people, pregnant women, people with mental health conditions, young people, and people involved in the criminal justice system,” he said.

The South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation Waminda will receive $11.3 million over four years for a new residential rehabilitation and withdrawal management service for Aboriginal women, including pregnant women and/or with young children.

The residential service will provide access to 10 rehabilitation beds for adults and two withdrawal management beds for up to eight months. There will also be beds for children, to ensure that women will be able to bring their children with them.

Mr Reid said there was currently no residential rehabilitation facility for Aboriginal women and their children on the South Coast.

Nowra-based Lives Lived Well will receive $2.1 million over four years for day rehabilitation and counselling for young people aged 12-17 years and young adults aged 18-24 years, focusing on population groups who have high rates of alcohol and other drug use in the region.

A further $2 million will go to Directions Health for counselling for community-based withdrawal management, case management and counselling for people with co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues.

The service will support people in South Eastern NSW, including southern parts of the Shoalhaven region, with a hybrid model offering in-person and access to telehealth/virtual care.