NSW Drug Summit included local LHD attendees: Sarah Fox MNCLHD, Monika Wheeler Healthy North Coast CE, Robin Auld MNCLHD, Unknown, Dr Tony Gill MNCLHD, Tracey Maisey CE NNSWLHD, Dee Robinson NNSWLHD, Vanessa Tyler NNSWLHD, unknown, Aimee McNeill PHN.
MNCLHD at the table as leaders gather for state drug summit
Nov 15, 2024Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) was grateful be represented at the second of two regional forums held as part of the NSW Drug Summit.
With representation from Robbie Auld Acting Regional Director North Coast Population and Public Health, Tony Gill Clinical Director, Alcohol and Other Drugs Service- MNCLHD and Sarah Fox Acting Director Integrated Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs as the delegate for the Chief Executive.
The second regional forum was held in Lismore on 4 November and attendees shared their perspectives on how to improve health outcomes for people impacted by drugs.
The regional forum was chaired by Carmel Tebbutt, CEO of Odessey House one of the state’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation services and John Brogden, former Member of Parliament and suicide prevention advocate.
NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park, Minister for Transport Jo Haylen, Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson, NSW Attorney General Michael Daley, Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, Member for Ballina Tamara Smith, Member for Clarence Richie Williamson, Greens MP Cate Faehrmann and Sue Higginson, Mayor of Lismore Steve Krieg, Mayor of Ballina Sharon Cadwallader and former Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant also attended to hear the perspectives from the North Coast community.
It was important that there was a regional forum to allow for people living and working in regional NSW to share their expertise.
“The Drug Summit provided a platform to really hear and understand the current efforts of communities and service providers in responding to the needs of people who use or have used drugs,” Sarah Fox, Acting Director of Integrated Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs at MNCLHD said.
“There were key themes that came up around the gaps and the need for collaboration to create collective impact for our communities.
“There were also opportunities to discuss how the conversations of the day dovetailed into the work we have been developing with the Healthy North Coast (HNC) Primary Health Network around our Joint Regional Plan.”
MNCLHD recently expanded drug and alcohol services through funding provided as an outcome of the Special Commission of Inquiry into the drug ‘Ice’.
Key to this was ensuring young people have improved access to specialist drug and alcohol services and improving in-reach and outreach brief intervention services to all people across MNCLHD especially those in rural areas.
“The services have been well received by the community and we are continuing to refine models of care to meet the needs of our communities,” Ms Fox said.
“Our Drug and Alcohol services are keen to continue to collaborate with people with lived experience of drug use, carers and families, communities and service providers in opportunities to both expand services and improve pathways between services.”