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24
Apr
2019
When: Tuesday 30 April 2019 at 10:30am
Where: Twin Towns Services Club
Attendees include:
North Coast Primary Health Network (NCPHN) is pleased to announce that Federal MP Justine Elliot will officially launch the Tweed Byron Suicide Prevention Action Plan on April 30.
NSW Health 2016 statistics (latest available) on suicide events across the state show that Northern NSW had the second highest rate of suicide in regional NSW.
In 2018, NCPHN provided Australian Government funding under the National Suicide Prevention Trial of $380,000 to The Family Centre at Tweed Heads. The funding contributes to the ongoing employment of the Tweed Byron Suicide Prevention Project Worker, Carmen Stewart, and to the implementation of the initiatives drawn up in the Tweed Byron Suicide Prevention Action Plan.
The Tweed Byron Suicide Prevention Committee which was originally set up in 2017 was re-established in 2019. It’s a unique model that brings community and organisations together in a constructive and sustainable way to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the Tweed Byron community.
The Tweed Byron Suicide Prevention Action Plan incorporates information and comments from the Tweed Byron Local Suicide Prevention Steering Committee. It also includes information gathered at a workshop in December 2018 where participants identified priority actions. These individuals included professionals working in primary health, mental health, education and community services, as well as individuals with a lived experience of suicide.
Five Impact Groups have been established to drive the on-going development and implementation of this Action Plan. The focus of these Impact Groups reflects the following priorities:
The Tweed Byron Suicide Prevention Action Plan has been developed in consultation with the community and with the support of North Coast Primary Health Network, the Black Dog Institute and the Family Centre.
NCPHN’s Chief Executive Ms Julie Sturgess said the network was pleased to be able to support the range of educational programs and other activities included in the Tweed Byron Suicide Prevention Committee’s Action Plan.
“This new Plan has come about through a community-led approach. It will be an important step in educating people to recognise the signs that someone might be in severe mental distress and to build resilience in those with lived experience of suicide.”
Project Worker Carmen Stewart said the Action Plan takes a broad, evidence-based approach to suicide prevention.
“The five priority areas within the Action Plan collectively provide a breadth of focus from early intervention in schools through to strengthening support for individuals after a suicide attempt.
“We have secured good support in the Tweed and Byron Shires and invite any residents, clubs or organisations wishing to contribute to suicide prevention, to get in touch.”
For more information about the Tweed-Byron Suicide Prevention Strategy, please contact Carmen Stewart, Suicide Prevention Project Worker at The Family Centre at [email protected] or phone (07) 5524 8711.
Improving the Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing of Aged Care Residents
NCPHN is Seeking a Local Organisation to Deliver Youth Mental Health Services
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands across our region, and pay our respect to Elders past, present and on their journey. We recognise these lands were never ceded and acknowledge the continuation of culture and connection to the land, sky and sea. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Land’s first peoples and honour the rich diversity of the oldest living cultures.
Strategic Priority Area: One team
North Coast is identified as the region most likely to be impacted by climate change in Australia and also forecasted greatest growth in those 65+.
Healthy North Coast takes a lead role in ensuring the older population and the sector that supports them are prepared for, can respond to and recover from disasters and other emergencies.
We have led eight regional disaster management capacity building workshops, bringing together SES, community organisations and the aged care sector.
We have also developed disaster preparedness tip sheets for both residential and community aged care providers.
Strategic Priority Area: One team
In May 2022, the NSW Parliament passed the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2022. Effective from Tuesday, 28 November 2023, eligible people have the choice to access voluntary assisted dying.
Healthy North Coast has developed a webpage for both health professionals and consumers, with links to available information and resources.
Strategic Priority Area: No one is left behind
Healthy North Coast has worked with people living with dementia, their families and local service providers to develop an information booklet that will help them connect with local and national supports along their journey.
The booklet includes commonly asked questions for people to ask their GP and/or specialist.
The resource is available in digital and printed copies, with more than 5,000 distributed across the region. An e-version is available to clinicians via the Dementia and Cognitive Impairment HealthPathway.
Strategic Priority Area: One team
The Deteriorating Resident Response Tool (DRRT) has been developed to guide RN’s in Residential Aged Care homes (RACHs) to better understand, anticipate and make clinical decisions responding to the deteriorating health of residents.
The objective of the DRRT is to give RACH staff clear information to triage and provide appropriate care for a range of residents’ health conditions, and, in turn, prevent unnecessary presentations to ED.
The tool has been designed together with a specialist geriatrician, consulting with stakeholders such as Residential Aged Care Managers, NSW Ambulance, GPs, and experts from Mid and North Coast LHDs.
The pilot commences in March with four participating RACHs. Evaluation measures will include effectiveness in building RN confidence and reported reduction in unnecessary hospitalisations. Findings will inform a future planned, region-wide implementation.
Strategic Priority Area: No one is left behind
The Care Finders program is a free region-wide service to support vulnerable older people who have no-one else to help them, to learn about, apply for and set up support services.
Care finders can help people understand what aged care services are available, set up an assessment, and find and choose services. They also help people with access to other supports in the community, both accessing services for the first time and changing or finding new services and supports.
On the North Coast, Healthy North Coast has commissioned four organisations to provide this important service: EACH, Carexcell, Lifetime Connect and Footprints.
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
Healthy North Coast commissions two service providers to deliver psychological therapies and supports for older people with, or at risk of developing, a mental illness and who are living in residential aged care homes (RACHs).
The aim of the program is to both provide direct support to residents and their families and carers, as well as upskill the RACH workforce to respond to the needs of residents presenting with mental health concerns.
Strategic Priority Area: Securing a Healthier Future
Delivered by Feros Care, the Healthy Me, Healthy Community program aims to build individual and community connections to reduce loneliness and improve wellbeing in Port Macquarie.
The program helps people to connect with community, activities, supports and services that address their broader social determinants of health, as an alternative or supplement to a clinical approach.
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
Timely access to primary health care professionals, whether through face-to-face consultation or telehealth, is recognised as an issue for many Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs), that in some cases can lead to potentially preventable hospitalisations. RACHs require adequate telehealth facilities to support access to virtual consultations for their residents.
Project goals
Strategic Priority Area: Improving Lives Now
Aims to provide people who have life limiting conditions the opportunity to exercise choice and receive high quality care at home, harnessing improved and better coordinated supports and services that meet their individual needs.
Program objectives:
These objectives will contribute to achieving the following intended overarching outcomes of:
Funding is open to all primary care providers within disaster affected communities across the Healthy North Coast footprint.
Workforce Locum support and R&R funding criteria
Wellbeing Flexible Funding Criteria & Eligibility
| *Team Size (Total staff and contractors) | Funding Available |
| Small (1-5) | $500-$1500 |
| Medium (6-20) | $1500-$4000 |
| Large (>20) | $4000-$5000 |
