Pubdate: Thu, 30 Oct 2003
Source: Southland Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2003, Southland Times Company Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.southlandtimes.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1041
Author: David Cosgriff
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

GAINS SEEN FOR ADDICTS

A review of drug services would bring better treatments, two Southland 
District Health Board advisory committees were told.

Paul Rout, of the South Island Shared Service Agency, told the committees 
at a joint meeting in Invercargill on Tuesday the review should be 
finalised by February.

The review was commissioned by the South Island regional mental health 
network on behalf of its six southern health boards.

It was partly prompted by changes in the type of patients wanting help with 
their addictions.

Many were turning up with much more severe disorders than previously and 
the complexity of the cases was greater, Mr Rout said.

District health boards had also reported a higher need in the community 
with poorer social support networks. The numbers of women, young people and 
Maori seeking help had also increased and the use of other drugs was rising.

Nearly 20 beds would be lost next month at the Queen Mary Hospital at 
Hanmer Springs. But eight more staff would deliver community services.

Key strategies likely to be confirmed in the review were:

To increase family participation and offer more support for families.

To increase the number of intensive outpatient programmes and make 
short-term residential programmes more available.

To trial weekend or weekday intensive treatment retreats, which might suit 
smaller health boards.

To develop a regional residential youth service.

To improve the responsiveness of services to Maori and extend kaupapa Maori 
services.

To develop dedicated outpatient services for women.

To reduce waiting times for methadone by shifting responsibility away from 
hospitals.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom