The COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of SWSPHN’s successful series of roundtable discussions with the region’s mental health service and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) providers in 2020. Our roundtables have now resumed, with participants at the fifth roundtable at the Rydges Hotel, Campbelltown again appreciating the opportunity to meet face-to-face and learn more about other services in the sector.
In this week’s Under the Microscope, we take a closer look at SWSPHN’s Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Roundtables.
Why is SWSPHN facilitating these roundtables?
In 2018, SWSPHN began connecting the region’s mental health and drug and alcohol (AOD) services through a series of four roundtables at various locations across South Western Sydney. The workshops aim to improve integration, communication and collaboration between AOD and mental health service providers, and gather expert advice from various disciplines, to improve services and support for people with drug and alcohol, and mental health co-morbidity.
The roundtables were cancelled in 2020 due COVID-19 restrictions but resumed with a fifth roundtable on Thursday, 29 April.
Which organisations were represented at the fifth roundtable?
AOD and mental health services from across the region were represented at the most recent roundtable. The services included: Family Drug Support; Core Community Services; Odyssey House; Iogha Mental Health Services; Tharawal Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS); St Vincent De Paul Society – Rendu House; Salvation Army; CORE Community Services; SWSLHD Drug Health Services; Bankstown Community Resource Group Inc; Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre (DAMEC); and Salvation Army.
What was discussed at the roundtable?
Participants had the opportunity to learn about telehealth from the Agency for Clinical Innovation, hear from SWSPHN staff about outcomes and client experience measures, share client stories and brainstorm ideas for addressing barriers to AOD and mental health service integration.
Presentations were held both face-to-face and via Zoom.
What feedback have you had from participants?
The feedback from participants to the fifth roundtable has been positive.
Matthew James, a mental health nurse in Tharawal AMS’ SWSPHN-funded Social and Emotional Wellbeing Team, has attended four roundtables.
He said he most appreciated opportunities to network and market his service to others across the large South Western Sydney region. “There are also services that I’m not aware of, so it works both ways.”
Mr James said the virtual healthcare session was of huge relevance to his organisation.
Johan Torsteinsrud, an AOD counsellor at Odyssey House, was attending his first roundtable and said it was good to get input from representatives of other services.
“I heard about the experiences of other people and organisations that I can learn from,” he said.
What’s next? Are there plans for another roundtable?
The next roundtable in the series is planned for October 2021 and will aim to further develop sector collaboration and integration.
