Become part of a team who are dedicated to enhancing and connecting primary healthcare to achieve better health outcomes for the South Western Sydney community.
Find your next South Western Sydney general practice career or practice for sale.
Practice vacancy ad request form
Practice for sale form
A local service funded by South Western Sydney PHN (SWSPHN) which played a significant role in suicide prevention in the region is set to make way for a new and expanded model under the banner of Universal Aftercare.
The Way Back Support Service was the first service of its kind to task the commissioned provider – Grand Pacific Health – to work in partnership with the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) in providing lifesaving suicide aftercare support.
Established in 2021 it has helped 660 people in South Western Sydney gain access to non-clinical care and practical support following a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis.
The Way Back offered psychosocial suicide aftercare within one day of receiving a referral from Liverpool or Campbelltown Hospital’s emergency departments, or SWSLHD’s mental health teams.
The person in crisis worked with a support coordinator or a peer support worker and was guided through a safety planning and personalised aftercare program for up to three months. This could include anything from mental health support services to financial advice, connecting them with community groups or helping them attend healthcare appointments.
Many patients have reported being better able to cope after accessing The Way Back support.
One female patient accessed the service wanting to improve how she managed the symptoms of mental ill health. She had weekly telephone support for 12 weeks from a support coordinator, connected with a peer worker and attended face-to-face peer-led support groups. The support coordinator liaised with a GP to organise ongoing psychiatry service treatment.
Towards the end of the program, the patient reported “handling suicidal thoughts a lot better”. She said she did not feel the need for ongoing suicide support at present because The Way Back “helped me get to a place where my suicidal thoughts are a lot better now”.
A second female patient accessed the service wanting to increase how she coped with the high levels of distress caused by the care of a family member. She attended weekly face-to-face sessions with a peer worker who assisted her to practise mindfulness through colouring and listening to guided meditations. The peer worker also linked the patient with a community-run peer group.
The consumer reported being grateful for the support of the peer worker, saying her time with the program “means a lot, and it has been so helpful”.
SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, said most of the clients who were helped by The Way Back service reported a significant improvement in their mental health.
“This person-centred network of support helps people suffering a crisis to take back control of their lives and seek the support they need to help with their mental health,” he said.
“We look forward to seeing the new and expanded care model come to life under Universal Aftercare.”
Learn more about The Way Back