Clarence Valley Opioid Treatment Service (Drug & Alcohol) is stepping boldly into a process of Clinical Redesign.
The small specialist team want to do things differently to meet growing demand by
- Improving access and time to treatment
- Connect to the whole health sector in a coordinated way
- Provide the type of care patients want to support their recovery
Meeting the needs of the community and potential needs of Grafton’s new 1700 bed gaol which opens in 2020, time is of the essence.
Interviews and ideas sessions have been held with patients of the service, staff and partner organisations. The LHD is looking forward to trialling the ideas raised at these sessions over the next few months.
The Opioid Treatment Options Project is a partnership between Integrated Care and Drug & Alcohol. The Project Leads are Shellie Hayman, Nurse Unit Manager and Sandy O’Brien, Integrated Care Coordinator, Mental Health Drug & Alcohol.
Goal:
Develop better matched treatment options for clients at Clarence Valley Opioid Treatment Service with low treatment needs by Jan 2020.
Objectives:
Reduce the average waiting time for commencement of treatment from 25 days to 15 days by December 2019.
Increase the number of low treatment needs patients transitioning to an appropriate treatment setting from 1% to 15 % by Dec 2019.
80% of case managed patients will report shared decision making in their treatment.
Case for Change:
62 % of current clients have low treatment needs where they no longer need specialist services for continuation of care.
Minimal patient flow restricts access for new patients when they are in crisis. This will have further impacts on the staff and organisation with the opening of the Clarence Correctional Centre in 2020.