WIMMERA organisations will work with communities to design new models for alcohol and other drug care.
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Western Victoria Primary Health Network has commissioned Grampians Community Health – along with two organisations in other parts of the state’s west – to work with residents and stakeholders to develop the models.
These three organisations will partner with a range of others for the project, including Rural Northwest Health, Wimmera Health Care Group, West Wimmera Health Service, Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital, Stawell Regional Health, East Grampians Health Services, Tristar Medical Group, Wimmera Primary Care Partnership, and Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative.
The project is intended to help organisations and services design models that will best meet their area’s particular needs.
People who are likely to access services – as well as families supporting people with alcohol and drug problems – are among those who will be consulted during the process.
Grampians Community Health chief executive Greg Little said it was an important project to be involved with.
“We’ve been successful in being awarded a six-month project to work with communities and stakeholders,” he said.
“We’ve got a whole range of general practice clinics, primary care groups and service providers who have agreed to partner with us to be involved.
“We will also canvas community views as well to determine what is and isn’t working, and if things need to be different in our community.
“At the end of November we’ll be able to put a proposal back to the primary health network to say, ‘This is what would work well in our region’.
“Rather than a one size fits all approach across Victoria, it’s about saying, ‘This community is unique and has these unique needs’.”
Mr Little said the project would look at general practice’s involvement in the sector, for example, how doctors supported service providers to achieve holistic care.
“It’s really about whether service models at the moment are working, because they probably haven’t changed for many years,” he said.
“It’s a great time to have fresh eyes and a collaborative approach to it.”
The new models of care are due to start in July next year.