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THE BUZZ
THEBUZZ
MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG & ALCOHOL CLINICAL POLICY NEWSLETTER
summer 2013
CONTENTS
GETTING ON TRACK IN TIME – GOT IT! 1
EDITORIAL 2
NSW HEALTH PATIENT SAFETY PLAN 3
RURAL MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
TRANSPORT PROOF OF CONCEPT
RETRIEVAL PLAN 3
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOURSELF?
4
know when to say when
5
STAY STRONG AND HEALTHY
5
POSITIVE LIVING IN AGED CARE
AWARDS 2012
6
CHILD SAFETY CAMPAIGN TARGETS
OPIOID TREATMENT PATIENTS
6
ABORIGINAL DRUG & ALCOHOL TRAINEESHIPS 7
ABORIGINAL OLDER PEOPLES’ MENTAL HEALTH
PROJECT: UPDATE AND IMPLEMENTATION 7
workforce development
NEW MENTAL HEALTH ONLINE TRAINING
OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE THROUGH ARCHI 8
PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE IN MENTAL HEALTH 9
POSTGRADUATE STUDIES IN D&A NURSING AT
THE AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF NURSING 9
CONFERENCE UPDATE
CHILD & ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
WORKSHOP10
MEDICINE IN ADDICTION 2013 CONFERENCE 11
CREATING SYNERGY 2013 PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT FORUM THE BUZZ FROM THE SECTOR
THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OLDER PEOPLE:
CONNECTING SECTORS
11
12
RELEASE OF THE PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR
TREATMENT OF COMPLEX TRAUMA & TRAUMA
INFORMED CARE AND SERVICE DELIVERY 12
GOOD SPORTS 13
GPs SETTING UP A NSW/ACT SPECIFIC
INTEREST IN ADDICTION BRANCH 13
COMMUNITY NEWS: CDAT ACTIVITIES 14 -15
NEWS, SITES AND SERVICES FOR MORE INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
THE BUZZ
TELEPHONE: (02) 9391 9237
EMAIL: mhda@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
16
The Getting on Track in Time - Got It! program is
an exciting new school-based mental health early
intervention initiative. Got It! aims to reduce the
frequency and severity of conduct problems and
prevent the development of severe behaviour
problems such as conduct disorder in young children
from Kindergarten to Grade 2 (between the ages
5 to 8 years). It also aims to improve schools’ capacity
to respond to children with conduct disorders.
The Got It! program is established in three locations in NSW; Dubbo, Mt Druitt and
Newcastle and is funded under the Keep Them Safe initiative until 30 June 2014.
Early reports indicate that the program has had good acceptability with schools
and that both parents and teachers are benefiting from the opportunity to learn new
information and skills in managing children with identified mental health concerns.
continued pg 3
1
THE BUZZ
editorial
David McGrath,
Director, Mental Health
and Drug & Alcohol Programs
“When a new year begins it is pertinent to reflect
on some of the highlights of yesteryear, and focus
on the work ahead in 2013.”
Welcome to the ninth edition
of The Buzz.
When a new year begins it is pertinent to
reflect on some of the highlights of yester
year, and focus on the work ahead in 2013.
The primary one was the progress and
establishment of the NSW Mental
Health Commission which commenced
operations on 2 July 2012 as an
independent statutory body with Mr John
Feneley stepping into the role as inaugural
Commissioner.
There have been a number of campaigns
in 2012.
The Minister for Mental Health launched
a new Anxiety Awareness Campaign
in April to encourage people living with
constant anxiety to seek help.
In addition, MHDAO has worked towards
the implementation of a model of Activity
Based Funding for Mental Health,
expected to “go-live” in 2013/14.
Looking ahead – work is near completion
on the Drug & Alcohol Clinical Care
and Prevention (DA-CCP) Model; the
first ever drug and alcohol planning model
to be developed in the world! It aims to
develop a nationally agreed population
based planning model to estimate the
need and demand for drug and alcohol
health services across Australia.
A new Child Safety campaign is being
developed to reduce the number of
accidental methadone and buprenorphinerelated child poisonings by educating patients
who are on the Opioid Treatment Program.
We will also re-run the successful alcohol
and culture campaign - Know when to
say when? - from late January 2013.
The “Stay Strong and Healthy – It’s
Worth It” campaign to educate
Aboriginal women and their partners
of the risks of drug and alcohol
consumption during pregnancy and the
potential challenges of dealing with a
mental illness was launched in July and
will continue into 2013.
MHDAO is continuing its work on the
Community Health and Outpatient
Care Drug & Alcohol State Baseline
Build, and aims to finalise a five year
Strategic Plan for NSW Drug and
Alcohol in 2013.
In the lead up to the 2012/13 festive
season, the responsible drinking
campaign – What are you doing
to yourself? – an initiative of
the Kings Cross Plan of Management,
was launched in November.
I am pleased to announce that a web
page is currently being developed for
The Buzz which will be accessible on
the NSW Ministry of Health website
from May/June 2013, a link to the page
will be sent out once launched.
2
On that note, I would like to thank
and acknowledge the work done in
partnership with the public and the
non-government health sector in
bringing these achievements to fruition.
Special mention goes to the Australian
Drug Foundation (ADF), Adults Surviving
Child Abuse (ASCA), Mental Health
Coordinating Council (MHCC), Aged
and Community Services Association
NSW & ACT Inc (ACS), Australian College
of Nursing, Illawarra Drug & Alcohol
Services, Australian Resource Centre
for Health Innovation (ARCHI/HSS) and
Community Drug Action Teams (CDATs)
for their contributions in this issue of the
newsletter. We look forward to continuing
our work together in 2013.
Input from Mental Health and Drug &
Alcohol workers in Local Health Districts
(LHDs) and the NGO sector is strongly
encouraged.
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MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG & ALCOHOL CLINICAL POLICY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013
NSW HEALTH
PATIENT SAFETY PLAN
The NSW Health Patient Safety Plan
is a NSW state-wide tool to support
communication between mental
health staff and people admitted to
mental health inpatient facilities.
This communication aims to reduce
harm by increasing safety measures
for individual consumers and to
improve the health outcomes for
people with mental health conditions.
The Patient Safety Plan has been
developed in consultation with
consumer representatives and local
health districts to assist individuals
in maintaining calm, safe behaviour
even during periods of acute distress
or agitation while inpatients of NSW
mental health services.
continued from pg 1
Got It! is a short term, multilevel program delivered over two
consecutive terms. Screening and
assessment is completed in the first
term and specific interventions are
provided in the second term.
Providing mental health services,
information and support to both
education staff and parents in a
familiar and neutral setting helps to
overcome some of the barriers that
can discourage vulnerable families
from seeking help, such as; stigma,
accessibility and availability of suitable
local services.
One of the strengths underpinning
the success of the program to date
is the strong partnership between
NSW Health and the Department of
Education and Communities at both
statewide and local levels.
A two year independent evaluation
of the program is underway to
examine the effectiveness of the
program in terms of outcomes for
children, parents and teachers,
program implementation, and costbenefits. These results will also inform
subsequent decisions regarding the
potential extension of the program.
This tool invites consumers to identify
personal calming strategies, previous
triggers to distress, warning signs of
distress and any previous experiences
that a person may wish to share that
might inform responses to distress.
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The Patient Safety Plan is one of a
number of strategies and resources
being promoted to complement the new
state policy “Aggression, Seclusion and
Restraint: Preventing, minimising and
managing disturbed behaviour in mental
health facilities in NSW” NSW Health
PD2012_035 which can be accessed
from http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/
policies/pd/2012/PD2012_035.html
RURAL MENTAL HEALTH
EMERGENCY TRANSPORT PROOF
OF CONCEPT RETRIEVAL PLAN
A 12 month Rural Mental Health
Emergency Transport (RMHET), proof
of concept project, is being trialed in
the New England Sector of Hunter
New England Local Health District.
The Project seeks to facilitate the
timely handover to the Health
system of people detained by Police,
to increase options for Ambulance
transport and limit the occasions in
which patients are transported to a
hospital in a police vehicle.
People detained by Police under Section
22 of the Mental Health Act (NSW) 2007
(the Act) are required to be transported to
a Declared Mental Health Facility (DMHF)
for a mental health assessment. Limited
availability of DMHFs in rural NSW can
sometimes necessitate long-distance
transports in a police vehicle.
Ambulance has been funded to meet
its commitment of ‘best endeavours’ to
prioritise these transports, providing a
24/7 response whilst maintaining
Ambulance’s operational capacity to
respond to other emergency priorities.
The RMHET project will be evaluated on
its effectiveness in facilitating timely
handover from Police to Health and in
reducing Police transports of people with
mental health issues.
The RMHET project will gather activity
data and operational information which
will be used to inform decisions regarding
resourcing and processes required to
potentially extend the model to other
parts of rural NSW.
The project trial entails Police transporting
persons to one of five designated nondeclared hospitals across the trial area to
hand over the person to Ambulance who
will complete the transport to the DMHF.
3
THE BUZZ
Campaign Update
WHAT ARE
YOU DOING
TO YOURSELF?
The responsible drinking campaign
- What are you doing to yourself? an initiative of the Kings Cross Plan
of Management, was launched in
November 2012.
Call the Alcohol & Drug Information Service on 02 9361 8000
In accordance with s77 of the Liquor Act, if you’re asked to leave a licensed premises (including a
50 metre radius of the establishment) and do not comply, you could face a $550 ‘on the spot’ fine.
Call the Alcohol & Drug
Information Service
on 02 9361 8000
In accordance with
s77 of the Liquor Act,
if you’re asked to leave
50 metre radius of the
a licensed premises
establishment) and
(including a
do not comply, you
could face a $550 ‘on
the spot’ fine.
The campaign is in response to
significant public concern regarding
alcohol-related violence and
anti-social behaviour in Kings Cross.
Kings Cross is one of the most
densely populated areas in NSW
with approximately 20,000 residents
concentrated in a suburb of
1.2 square kilometres.
City of Sydney data show that on Friday
and Saturday nights the number of people
in Kings Cross doubles to around 40,000,
with an additional 20,000 visitors arriving
from locations all over Sydney and NSW.
4
The campaign aims to reduce excessive
drinking and public drunkenness in the
Kings Cross area through the promotion
of personal responsibility for the
consumption of alcohol.
The campaign places the responsibility
on the individual, with a focus on how
much they drink and the consequences.
The graphic images will be seen
throughout Kings Cross – in the station,
on street furniture like bus stops, on the
back of taxis, in night-clubs, on ATMs –
the message is clear and concise – What
are you doing to yourself?
Call the Alcohol & Drug
Information Service
on 02 9361 8000
In accordance with
s77 of the Liquor Act,
if you’re asked to leave
50 metre radius of the
a licensed premises
establishment) and
(including a
do not comply, you
could face a $550 ‘on
the spot’ fine.
The digital element of the campaign
includes a partnership with the In the
Mix website. A key to this partnership is
the production of five short videos which
tell the personal stories of people who
work in or visit Kings Cross. These
videos are promoted through websites,
YouTube and on the campaign’s website
www.whatareyoudoingtoyourself.com
This campaign has been developed in
partnership with NSW Police and the
City of Sydney and will run through
to March 2013.
MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG & ALCOHOL CLINICAL POLICY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013
Know
when to
say when
The Ministry of Health Alcohol
& Culture Campaign ‘Know when
to say when’ commenced on
25 January 2013.
This major initiative targets the
broader population about alcohol
and its impacts in our community.
The campaign raises awareness about
how and why we drink and how we
need to change excessive drinking
practices as a long term solution to
problematic alcohol use.
The campaign features on TV (free-toair and pay), newspapers, online and
on the radio (community language
radio and newspapers) until mid-May.
For more information please visit:
www.whentosaywhen.com.au
When hav
e you had
enough?
When have you had enough?
When you
a little silget
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When you get
a little roWdy?
When you ruin
a Friendship?
drink excessively and you’re not only harming yourself,
but those around you as well.
For more information, visit www.whentosaywhen.com.au
Call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service: 02 9361 8000 or 1800 422 599 (outside Sydney)
When you
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For more info drink, the more harm
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Call the Alco
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02 9361 800
0 or 1800 422
599 (outside
Sydney)
STAY STRONG AND HEALTHY
The ‘Stay strong and healthy’
campaign continues to provide
highly visual health information
for Aboriginal women who are
pregnant or have a new baby,
and their partners.
Pregnancy and neonatal information
including mental health and drug and
alcohol issues, an interactive service
directory map and healthy recipes
can be found at www.facebook.com/
StayStrongAndHealthy
An independent evaluation of the
campaign reported an overwhelmingly
positive response to the campaign
themes and materials from both
community members and stakeholders.
5
THE BUZZ
POSITIVE LIVING IN AGED CARE
AWARDS 2012
The 2012 Positive Living in Aged
Care Awards held at Luna Park in
August showcased the commitment
of residential aged care facilities
to improving the mental health
and wellbeing of its residents.
This year attracted a record number
of applications from facilities across
rural and metropolitan NSW.
The Positive Living in Aged Care Awards
are funded by NSW Health and managed
by Aged and Community Services
Association of NSW & ACT in partnership
with Leading Aged Services Australia
NSW-ACT. The Awards are open to
Commonwealth-funded residential
aged care facilities in NSW, and aim to
identify, showcase and promote innovative
strategies that have a positive impact
on the mental health and wellbeing of
residents of aged care facilities and the
wider residential aged care community.
The Awards have enjoyed growing success
attracting applications from 96 aged care
facilities since 2008. The project also
received a Special Judges Award in the
2011 Australian and NZ Mental Health
Service Achievement Awards.
David McGrath, Director, Mental Health
and Drug & Alcohol Programs, NSW
Ministry of Health, presented the awards
above: David McGrath presenting 2012 Awards. Photo courtesy of OPMHPU
to the 2012 finalists, congratulating
them on their achievements. The five
finalists presented their programs as part
of the Positive Mental Health for Older
People Seminar, which also featured
keynote addresses from experts in older
people’s mental health, dementia and
facility design. Finalists were also treated
to a visit from the NSW Mental Health
Commissioner, John Feneley.
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CHILD SAFETY CAMPAIGN TARGETS
OPIOID TREATMENT PATIENTS
The Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol
Office is developing a new Child
Safety Campaign in 2013 to reduce
the number of accidental methadone
and buprenorphine-related child
poisonings by educating patients on
the Opioid Treatment Program (OTP).
The Campaign will be designed to:
reduce the incidence of child poisonings
due to the ingestion of methadone and/
or buprenorphine,
encourage OTP patients to store their
medications safely to prevent accidental
child poisoning,
6
educate patients about the risks of
methadone and buprenorphine to
children, and
raise awareness of the professional
services available to support parents.
Campaign resources are to be developed
and made available at NSW OTP public
and private clinics, needle and syringe
programs, drugs in pregnancy services and
in emergency departments.
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MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG & ALCOHOL CLINICAL POLICY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013
ABORIGINAL
DRUG &
ALCOHOL
TRAINEESHIPS
right: Steve Ella (NSW Aboriginal Drug
and Alcohol Traineeship Coordinator),
Erin Stanley & Allan Lockwood (Trainees)
& Heidi Becker (NADA Project Manager)
Photo courtesy of NADA
In 2009, The Mental Health Drug &
Alcohol Office provided funding to
the Network of Alcohol & Other Drug
Agencies (NADA) to manage the
‘Aboriginal Drug & Alcohol Traineeship
Program’ in the non-government drug
and alcohol sector. Three organisations
were selected from an expression of
interest process, and each recruited an
Aboriginal Drug & Alcohol Trainee.
Over the last three years, Erin Stanley
(Lyndon Community in Orange),
Greg Jarret (Namatjira Haven Drug
& Alcohol Healing, Alstonville) and
Alan Lockwood (Durri Aboriginal
Medical Service, Kempsey) commenced
their studies at the Aboriginal Health
College at La Perouse before moving
onto the University of Wollongong
to complete a Bachelor of Indigenous
Health Studies at the School of
Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous
Health. The Trainees were supported
through their courses and placements
by their employers, Heidi Becker
(Program Manager NADA) and Steve
Ella (Aboriginal Drug & Alcohol
Traineeship Coordinator, Central Coast
Local Health District).
Erin, Greg and Alan graduated on
12 December 2012. Their graduation
marks an important milestone in
the ongoing professionalisation of
the Aboriginal drug and alcohol
workforce. Congratulations to Erin,
Greg and Alan!
In addition, five Aboriginal drug
and alcohol trainees commenced
employment and studies through Local
Health Districts in early 2012. These
Trainees are expected to complete
their studies by the end of 2014.
ABORIGINAL OLDER PEOPLES’ MENTAL HEALTH
PROJECT: UPDATE AND IMPLEMENTATION
The Older People’s Mental Health
Policy Unit (OPMHPU) commenced
the Aboriginal Older Peoples’ Mental
Health Project in 2010. The purpose
of this project is to assist NSW Specialist
Mental Health Services for Older
People (SMHSOP) clinicians and managers
to understand the mental health
needs of older Aboriginal people,
and to inform policy and service
strategies to better meet these needs.
The Aboriginal Older Peoples’ Mental
Health Project Report draws together the
literature and research relevant to older
Aboriginal people, collects stories from
both older Aboriginal people and their
communities across NSW, and identifies
key principles of care that empower older
Aboriginal people to share their stories
and needs in relation to mental health.
The report identifies the next steps for
implementation of these key principles
of care, including the formation of the
Aboriginal Older Peoples’ Mental Health
Working Group.
The Aboriginal Older Peoples’ Mental
Health Working Group is integral in the
implementation of the key principles
of care. The key principles of care are
being progressed through a number of
statewide and local initiatives, including
partnership development strategies,
self-audit strategies linked to SMHSOP
benchmarking processes, implementation
of the SMHSOP acute inpatient unit model
of care and dementia initiatives.
The recommendations arising from the
Aboriginal Older Peoples’ Mental Health
Project Report continue to be implemented
at both a policy and service level.
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THE BUZZ
workforce development
NEW MENTAL HEALTH ONLINE TRAINING
OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE THROUGH ARCHI
A new learning tool to help generalist nurses develop skills to care for patients
who exhibit psychological, emotional and behavioural difficulties in general
hospitals is now available through ARCHI, the Australian Resource Centre for
Healthcare Innovations.
‘Mental Health Liaison’ is an interactive,
multimedia eSimulation resource and
presents four clinical scenarios in engaging
simulations that can be accessed from
http://www.archi.net.au/resources/
workforce/learning/mh-liaison
‘This Patient Doesn’t Belong Here’ explores
issues relating to recent behavioural
changes in a patient experiencing psychotic
symptoms, ‘Consent to Treatment and
Associated Legal Issues’ looks at the legal,
ethical and professional framework around
consent to or refusal of treatment, ‘Skye
is Back Again’ considers how to best
assist a young woman presenting with
deliberate self harm, while ‘Difficult NursePatient Relationship’ looks at dealing
with manipulative or demanding patient
behaviours.
8
“Mental Health Liaison is an important
new addition to ARCHI,” said HealthShare
NSW Knowledge Manager, Marie Pryor.
“Simulation is increasingly being used
to optimise learning and ARCHI’s online
delivery is the ideal way to allow health
professionals to learn at a time of their
choosing.”
The tool was developed by Mental Health
Liaison Nursing at the Prince of Wales
Hospital, Sydney, with funding from the
Nursing and Midwifery Office of the NSW
Ministry of Health and attracts 8 CPD
hours for professional portfolios.
MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG & ALCOHOL CLINICAL POLICY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013
PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE IN MENTAL HEALTH
Clients with serious mental illness have a 20% reduction
in life expectancy compared with the general population.
This is primarily a result of poor metabolic
health. This two-day course will provide
an introduction to the issue of physical
health care within mental health. The core
focus of the course teaches participants
how to identify and monitor metabolic
abnormalities, and implement prevention
and treatment strategies to overcome
them. There is solid evidence that lifestyle
and pharmacological interventions are
successful in reducing rates of morbidity
and mortality in people with serious
mental illness. Participants will be guided
through the use of these interventions in
a practical way that will allow them to put
into operation what they have learnt on
return to the workplace.
Key learning outcomes
After successfully completing the course
participants should be better able to:
Understand and comply with the NSW
Health ‘Linking Physical Health and
Mental Health’ guidelines.
Confidently screen for metabolic
health.
Understand factors that lead to poor
physical health in mental health
consumers.
Have a clear comprehension of
pharmacological and lifestyle
interventions available to prevent
and treat metabolic complications.
Put these interventions into place
on return to the workplace.
The target audience is Registered Nurses
(RN) and Enrolled Nurses (EN).
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POSTGRADUATE STUDIES IN D&A NURSING
AT THE AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF NURSING
Shortages in the drug and alcohol
workforce have been highlighted by
the Productivity Commission’s Report
on Australia’s Health Workforce
(Productivity Commission, 2005). The
National Drug Strategy 2010-2015
has identified that ‘an appropriately
skilled and qualified workforce is
critical to achieving and sustaining
effective responses to drug use‘
(Commonwealth of Australia, 2011).
The Australian College of Nursing
recognises the need to develop
postgraduate education in drug and
alcohol nursing. In 2010/2011, the College
developed new subjects: ‘Drug and
alcohol nursing practice’ and ‘Addiction
nursing’. The College is currently working
on subjects in ‘Public and primary health
– drug and alcohol’ and ‘Complex care drug and alcohol’.
Underpinning the subjects are ideas
of nurses being holistic, ethical and
knowledgeable practitioners; working
as professional members of the
multidisciplinary team; who continue
to research, evaluate and debate
contemporary clinical practice and
policy issues.
An application for accreditation of all four
drug and alcohol subjects to make up an
award course has been submitted to the
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards
Agency. The College eagerly awaits the
response in order to launch a Graduate
Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Nursing
in 2013.
References
Commonwealth of Australia 2011:20, National
Drug Strategy 2010-2015. Available from:
http://www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au/
Productivity Commission 2005:264, 270 and 271,
Australia’s Health Workforce, Research Report,
Canberra.
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9
THE BUZZ
Conference Update
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
top: Professor Richard Williams debriefing team
negotiation exercise
left: Team negotiation exercise
below: Presenters: Wayne Pearce & Richard Williams
Photo courtesy of MHKids
MH-Kids hosted a mental health
leadership development workshop –
“Systemic, Systematic and Strategic
Approaches to Developing the Quality
of Services”, 8-9 October 2012 in
Sydney, which was attended by
35 - 40 Mental Health Leaders from
across the State.
The workshop provided two days of
inspiring conversations and activities
around the theme of values-based
strategic leadership.
10
Guest speakers included:
Mr Terry Clout, Chief Executive, South
Eastern Sydney LHD; Professor Richard
Williams, Professor of Mental Health
Strategy, University of Glamorgan, Wales;
Ms Jane Caro, ABC Broadcaster, author
and social commentator; Mr Wayne
Pearce, NRL Commissioner, elite athlete
and leadership trainer; Ms Jane Lowder,
Director Max Coaching; and Mr Philip
Wright, ethics trainer and consultant for
St James Ethics Centre.
Sessions were grouped under the
following headings:
understanding the landscape
and the challenge;
designing strategy;
culture and collaborating with other
disciplines, teams and agencies;
designing and implementing strategy;
leading the team; and
commitment to longevity of excellent
team performance.
MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG & ALCOHOL CLINICAL POLICY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013
MEDICINE IN ADDICTION 2013 CONFERENCE
15 – 17 MARCH 2013, SYDNEY
This is the second co-convened conference
of the Royal Australian and New Zealand
College of Psychiatrists’ (RANZCP)
Section of Addiction Psychiatry, the
Royal Australian College of General
Practitioners (RACGP) and the Royal
Australasian College of Physicians’ (RACP)
Chapter of Addiction Medicine. Building
on the success of the first conference in
Melbourne, MIA 2013 provides a great
opportunity for delegates to hear from
the country’s leading addiction clinicians
and researchers, update their skills and
knowledge, and network with colleagues
and peers.
The event will address a wide range of topics,
including sessions around the neurobiology
of addiction, pain management, drugs in
pregnancy, the pharmaceutical drug misuse
strategy, psychostimulants and forensic issues.
Concurrent half-day workshops will allow
delegates to explore some of these topics in
more detail.
We trust that you will make the
most of the opportunity to network
with hundreds of medical colleagues
working in the addiction field, and
look forward to seeing you in Sydney
in March.
TO REGISTER:
online.saneevent.com.au/mia2013
Website: www.ranzcp.org/MIA2013
Email: MIA2013@saneevent.com.au
Telephone: 02 9886 4709
www.ranzcp.org/MIA2013
CREATING SYNERGY 2013
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FORUM
UNITED FOR EXCELLENCE:
CONNECTING COMPETENCE
WITH OUTCOME 13–14 JUNE 2013,
NOVOTEL WOLLONGONG
Since the debut of Creating Synergy
10 years ago, the entity has built
a strong reputation as a forum for
clinicians from drug and alcohol, mental
health and community related services
to learn and develop their skills.
Guided by the feedback from the 2012
Creating Synergy conference, Creating
Synergy 2013 has been reformatted to
comprise two 1-day workshops rather
than the traditional conference format
and will bring together two internationally
renowned workshop facilitators.
David Mee-Lee, M.D. is a board-certified
Psychiatrist and is certified by the American
Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM).
David will present a workshop entitled
‘Co-Occurring Mental and SubstanceRelated Disorders: Improving Clinical
Skills in Daily Practice’.
TO REGISTER:
Visit: www.creatingsynergy.org.au
For further details, please contact
David Hedger on 02 4223 8341
or email
david.hedger@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Scott D. Miller, Ph.D. is the founder of the
International Center for Clinical Excellence,
an international consortium
of clinicians, researchers,
and educators dedicated
www.creatingsynergy.org.au
to promoting excellence in
behavioural health services.
Scott will present a workshop
entitled ‘Reach: Pushing your Clinical Skills
and Effectiveness to the Next Level’.
11
THE BUZZ
The Buzz from the Sector
THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OLDER PEOPLE:
CONNECTING SECTORS
The Mental Health Coordinating
Council (MHCC), in partnership
with Aged and Community Services
Association of NSW & ACT Inc (ACS),
hosted the Mental Health of Older
People: Connecting Sectors Forum
on 2 November 2012 in Sydney.
Service coordination issues associated
with improving the experience of people
with mental health conditions ageing
at home as well as those needing to
transition from their homes into aged care
facilities was the key focus of the Forum.
Bringing the community mental health
and aged care providers together to
share their achievements and challenges
in relation to building cross-sector
relationships produced very positive
energy and great networking between
participants. Consumer and carer
perspectives were highlights of the
event that gave acknowledgement to
the need for lived experience to guide
improvements in services.
Minister Butler, whose federal portfolios
are Aged Care, Mental Health and Social
Inclusion, addressed the forum by video,
strongly endorsing the collaboration
between sectors and requesting ongoing
dialogue with him in relation to the issues
raised. John Feneley, NSW Mental Health
above: Discussing policy directions: Karen Burns - CEO, Uniting Care Mental Health & MHCC Chairperson,
Ruth Wilson - Community Care Policy Advisor, Aged and Community Services Assoc of NSW & ACT Inc (ACS)
and Jonathon Harms - CEO Mental Health Carers ARAFMI
Photo courtesy of MHCC
Commissioner participated in a panel
addressing key issues, barriers to change
and the way forward.
Dr Rod McKay (Clinical Advisor from
the Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol
Office), spoke about the potential changes
to accessing state and federally funded
services under the National Disability
Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Janet Meagher,
Consumer Activist and National Mental
Health Commissioner, explored the fear
and resistance of those traumatised by
institutionalisation in residential Mental
Health facilities to being “placed” once
more into Residential Aged Care.
MHCC and ACS will continue to work
together to identify outcomes from the
Forum and progress the next steps.
RELEASE OF THE ‘PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR
TREATMENT OF COMPLEX TRAUMA AND TRAUMA
INFORMED CARE AND SERVICE DELIVERY’
Adults Surviving Child Abuse (ASCA)
has released the Practice Guidelines
for Treatment of Complex Trauma and
Trauma Informed Care and Service
Delivery. The Guidelines have been
highly acclaimed and represent the
collective wisdom of the last two
decades of national and international
research in the trauma field.
They are set to revolutionise possibilities
for recovery for large numbers of
people who have experienced “complex
trauma” - child abuse, neglect, family and
community violence and other adverse
childhood events.
12
The Guidelines establish a framework for
responding to unresolved trauma and set
the standards in each of two domains:
A. C
linical – reflecting growing insights
into the role of trauma in mental health
issues and providing practitioners with
the knowledge and skills they need to
support their clients towards recovery.
B. O
rganisational – outlining trauma
informed principles of practice for
services with which people with trauma
histories come into contact. In asking
the question: “What happened to you?”
(i.e. moving away from the implication
that there is something intrinsically
`wrong’ with the person) trauma
informed services work to minimise the
risk of re-traumatisation, and promote
a person-centred holistic approach to
recovery.
To download your copy of the
Guidelines go to www.asca.org.au/
guidelines
To find a training program which suits
you or your organisation, including
in-house go to www.asca.org.au/
workshops, email events@asca.org.au
or call 02 8920 3611.
MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG & ALCOHOL CLINICAL POLICY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013
good
sports
The Australian Drug Foundation’s
Good Sports program works with
sporting clubs across Australia to
reduce alcohol-related harms within
the club and wider community.
Clubs work through three levels of
accreditation as part of the program.
2012 has been another big year for
Good Sports in NSW, reaching over 1200
accredited clubs – up 179 from last year
with another 236 progressing to levels
2 or 3.
John Reid, Good Sports NSW Manager,
said this year has seen many great
achievements amongst clubs becoming
more family-friendly and bringing the
focus back to sport.
“We’re proud of NSW clubs going the
extra mile to provide safe and responsible
environments for their communities. In
particular, Rugby League has really stepped
up their commitment to change,”
John said.
above: Lauren Yates & John Reid from the NSW Good Sports team
One club that has achieved great heights
this year is Sydney’s St George District
Cricket Club which has reached the
highest level in the program. The club,
once home to such legends as Sir Donald
Bradman, was the first cricket club in
Sydney to reach this milestone.
Photo courtesy of the Australian Drug Foundation
“By participating in Good Sports we are
able to implement alcohol management
Good Sports is delivered through local
project officers who often work with
policies that not only reduce risky driving
within the club, but also educate the
wider community and provide a safe
environment to enjoy sport,” St George
District Cricket Club CEO, Jon Jobson, said.
Community Drug Action Teams and Liquor
Accords to bring about change in their
communities.
Transport NSW is the major sponsor of
Good Sports in NSW. To find out more
visit www.goodsports.com.au
GPs SETTING UP A NSW/ACT SPECIFIC INTEREST
IN ADDICTION BRANCH
GPs are ideally placed to assist
their patients with alcohol and
other drugs (AOD) issues and
up to 20% of GP consultations
may have an aspect related to
problematic AOD use. While
some patients with AOD issues
are relatively straight forward,
others have complex chronic polymorbidity. While GPs are ideally
placed to assist these individuals,
they often feel that they don’t
have the necessary time or skills,
nor do they have adequate or
timely specialist support.
In response to GP demand, the RACGP
has created a National Faculty of
Specific Interest (NFSI) which includes
a group or network with an interest in
addiction medicine.
GPs in each state face unique issues
and challenges with different
regulatory frameworks for the
prescribing of opioid pharmacotherapy
and difficulty finding appropriate
services and supports for patients with
AOD problems.
A group of GPs in the NFSI Addiction
Medicine Network are looking to
create a NSW/ACT branch and to
this end invite all doctors working in
primary care with patients with AOD
issues, or who have an interest in this
area, to join. It is hoped this group will
assist GPs in NSW/ACT who see patients
with AOD problems to support the
central role that GPs play, advocating
for greater GP support, up-skilling
and other important issues that arise
for GPs working with patients with
AOD problems in primary care, both in
metropolitan, regional and rural areas.
If you are interested in getting
involved please email Pam Garrard
at pam.garrard@racgp.org.au
13
THE BUZZ
Community News
Community Drug
Action Teams
ALCOHOL ADVERTISING
ADVOCACY STRATEGIES
Surry Hills CDAT has partnered with
St George, Shellharbour-Kiama,
Wollongong and Ulladulla CDATs to
forge ahead in tackling the negative
impacts of alcohol advertising especially
on young people. Several CDATs raised
community concerns about the impact
and role that alcohol advertising plays,
with the key concern being the current,
industry-related advertising complaints
mechanism.
“The dismissal of so many complaints and
the increasingly automated and impersonal
nature of the complaints system lead to
people feeling that it is not worth the time
and effort required to make a complaint.
Unless people continue to make complaints
and advocate for change, no action will
be taken to change the impact of alcohol
advertising in our community, as the lack
of complaints is interpreted as evidence of
limited concern” said Professor Sandra Jones.
Research, undertaken by the University of
Wollongong’s Centre for Health Initiatives,
highlights that most people do not know
about the advertising code of practice or
how to lodge a complaint about alcohol
advertising. Several of the CDATs have
lodged complaints about advertisements that
they believed were in breach of advertising
codes only to receive a standardised response
from the industry regulated body.
As a result, the Centre for Health Initiatives
was commissioned to examine what was
being done in Australia and overseas to
address the impact of alcohol advertising on
community consumption and recommend
actions within the capacity and remit of
CDATs. “A Review of the Evidence on
Alcohol Advocacy and Recommendations for
the Best Advocacy Strategy” was launched in
December 2012, in the lead up to the festive
above: CHI Researcher Laura Robinson with the Alcohol
Advocacy Report
Photo courtesy of Surry Hills CDAT
season prime alcohol advertising period with
CDATs consulting on a series of actions over
the next 12 months.
Copies of the report are available from
Surry Hills CDAT, please email Norman
Booker ntb@mac.com
KIDS AND ALCOHOL?
THINK TWICE!
Auburn CDAT has developed an
educational pictorial resource for the
Auburn Local Government Area. The
resource is aimed at over 18 year olds
and focuses on the issue of secondary
supply to under 18s. The resource was
developed knowing that there are
new and existing culturally diverse
communities in Auburn where English
may not be their first language which
is why the messages depicted are
primarily pictorial.
It targeted the 2012/2013 Christmas and
holiday period as celebrations take place
where alcohol is involved and under
18s will be present. The CDAT aimed
to educate and raise awareness in the
Auburn community about the physical,
social and health consequences of
supplying alcohol to under 18s as well
14
as inform them of the consequences
of underage drinking and supplying
to minors.
CDAT members have distributed the
booklets to liquor stores and through
the safe party guide packs that Police
hand out when registering a party. The
Auburn Liquor Accord and the Crime
Prevention Officer at Flemington
Local Area Command, James Dickson,
distributed the booklets to Auburn
liquor stores; these are then passed on to
customers when they purchase alcohol.
Auburn CDAT has received a positive
response towards the booklets from
the Auburn community and liquor store
managers. Booklets will continue to be
distributed over summer 2012/2013.
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MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG & ALCOHOL CLINICAL POLICY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013
THE COASTER PROJECT
Hornsby CDAT asks,
“How often do you wear
Beer Goggles?”
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This question was put to patrons at
seven Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai licensed
premises in April 2012 as part of a
project to promote safe and responsible
consumption of alcohol.
‘The Coaster Project’ was a partnership
between Hornsby Community Drug Action
Team (CDAT) and the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai
Liquor Accord (HKLA). It involved surveying
patrons at licensed premises on their drinking
habits and attitudes to identify local issues for
future projects.
Approximately 28,000 coasters and posters
portraying images of people looking worse
for wear from drinking alcohol, asked the
leading question ‘How often do you wear
beer goggles?’ and offered the chance
to win a prize. Patrons used their smart
phones to scan the Quick Response Code
(QR code) printed on the items to complete
the survey online.
One hundred and seventy-six patrons
completed the survey with one hundred
and thirty-nine patrons entering the
competition to win a prize.
Over a third of patrons reported consuming
large amounts of alcohol before attending
a licensed venue with over 20% of patrons
consuming ‘3-5’ drinks and over 10%
consuming ‘6 or more’ drinks, prior to
going out to a pub or club. Risky drinking
levels were also high with over 20% of
patrons consuming eight or more drinks
on one occasion ‘weekly’ and almost 10%
consuming eight or more drinks on one
occasion ‘daily’.
The results provide a basis for the CDAT
and HKLA to target safe and responsible
consumption of alcohol on and around
local licensed premises.
left: Auburn CDAT member James Dickson & Leanne Eagles
promoting the ‘Kids and Alcohol, Think Twice’ resource
Photo courtesy of Auburn CDAT
15
THE BUZZ
NEWS, SITES AND SERVICES
The Buzz web page
in development!
Future issues of the newsletter will be
available via the NSW Ministry of Health
website by May/June 2013 via The Buzz
web page which is currently under
development. A link to the site will
be sent out once the page is live.
The Buzz will continue to provide news
from the sector and allow easy access to
the Style Guide, Multimedia Consent Form
and deadline for submitting articles.
Newsflash – a new option, serves to
upload information quickly to the site,
outside the regular timeframe per issue.
Previous newsletters will appear under the
section – Archives. It will also be easier to
subscribe or unsubscribe.
NSW Health Drug and
Alcohol Research Grants
Program 2012/13
Early in 2012 the Mental Health and Drug
and Alcohol Office invited applications
for funding under the Drug and Alcohol
Research Grants Program.
The program supports innovation in
drug and alcohol research in NSW and
provides 12-month funding for small
research projects.
In 2012/13 nine grants were awarded
to various universities, non-government
organisations and Local Health Districts.
Some of the projects funded include long
term cannabis use, models of support for
patients of Aboriginal Medical Services and
GP prescribing of pharmaceutical opioids.
For further information regarding the
Research Grants Program contact Tricia
O’Riordan, A/Manager, Research and
Health Systems Development on
02 9391 9338 or email
torio@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
16
Medicine in Addiction
Conference
15-17 March 2013, Sydney
New Mental Health Online
Training opportunity
available through ARCHI
The event will address a wide range
of topics, including sessions around
the neurobiology of addiction, pain
management, drugs in pregnancy, the
pharmaceutical drug misuse strategy,
psychostimulants and forensic issues.
Concurrent half-day workshops will allow
delegates to explore some of these topics
in more detail.
A new learning tool to help generalist
nurses develop skills to care for patients
who exhibit psychological, emotional and
behavioural difficulties in general hospitals
is now available through ARCHI, the
Australian Resource Centre for Healthcare
Innovations.
TO REGISTER:
online.saneevent.com.au/mia2013
www.ranzcp.org/MIA2013
Email: MIA2013@saneevent.com.au
Telephone: 02 9886 4709
Creating Synergy
2013 Professional
Development Forum
United for Excellence: Connecting
Competence with Outcome,
13 - 14 June 2013, Novotel
Wollongong.
Creating Synergy 2013 has been
reformatted to comprise two 1-day
workshops titled:
‘Co-Occurring Mental and SubstanceRelated Disorders: Improving Clinical
Skills in Daily Practice’
Reach: Pushing your Clinical Skills and
Effectiveness to the Next Level’
To register for the event, visit:
www.creatingsynergy.org.au
For further details contact David
Hedger 02 4223 8341 or email:
david.hedger@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.
au
‘Mental Health Liaison’ is an interactive,
multimedia eSimulation resource and
presents four clinical scenarios in engaging
simulations that can be accessed from
http://www.archi.net.au/resources/
workforce/learning/mh-liaison
The tool was developed by Mental Health
Liaison Nursing at the Prince of Wales
Hospital, Sydney with funding from the
Nursing and Midwifery Office of the NSW
Ministry of Health and attracts 8 CPD
hours for professional portfolios
Physical health care
in mental health
This two-day course provides an
introduction to the issue of physical health
care within mental health. The core focus
is teaching participants how to identify
and monitor metabolic abnormalities,
and implement prevention and treatment
strategies to overcome them.
The target audience is Registered Nurses
(RN) and Enrolled Nurses (EN).
For more information, please contact
Sumith Abkari, Australian College of
Nursing on 02 9745 6614 or email:
sabkari@nursing.edu.au