×

Concerned about your own or
someone else’s drug use?

Collaborate

To build scope & capacity
for clinical research

NCCRED Webinars

Adaptive Practices: A webinar series about the clinical and community responses to COVID-19 across the Alcohol and other Drugs (AOD) sector

Hosted by St Vincent’s Alcohol & Drug Service, NCCRED coordinated a series of webinars with a range of guests, hoping to explore some of the unique challenges currently being experienced by the Alcohol and other Drugs sector amidst the necessity of social distancing and the threat of infection. Reflecting upon some of the challenges and opportunities during these unprecedented times, and aiming to become a useful resource as we continue to face uncertainty in practice.

This series, hosted by Dr Nadine Ezard, included a Q&A and in depth discussions with clinicians, consumers and others. Diving into some of the immediate problems, research endeavours, and new clinical practices that are emerging during the time of COVID-19 and what life might look like after the pandemic.


‘General Practice: the frontline of the AOD sector & COVID-19’

Friday 10th July 

Dr Rob Page

Sydney-based GP

Topics include:

  • Role that GPs and Primary Health Care workers play in treatment of people who use substances
  • Current challenges that GPs face when it comes to dealing with people who use drugs
  • How COVID-19 has impacted GP’s role, what have we learnt and how things might change
  • Development for a model of care for GPs


‘LGBTI Health: changes during COVID-19’

Friday 3rd July

Nicky Bath

Chief Executive Officer,  LGBTI Health Alliance

Topics include:

  • How services have approached changes during this period
  • What can be improved now restrictions are being lifted?
  • How LGBTI Health approaches harm reduction messaging

 


‘COVID-19 and changes in key research cohorts’

Friday 26th June

Dr Amy Peacock

Senior Research Fellow, NDARC, UNSW

Prof Paul Dietze

Program Director, Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute

A/Prof Garrett Prestage

HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Program,  The Kirby Institute, UNSW

Topics include:

Research findings during COVID-19 times, specifically:

  • The Flux Study
  • The ADAPT Study
  • SuperMIX

 


Avoiding the drop zone: GHB use after isolation

Friday 19th June

Jack Freestone

NCCRED PhD Candidate
Manager of AOD Research and Development, ACON
Read more

Topics include:

  • The ways that people of diverse sexualities and genders use GHB
  • Harms associated with the use of GHB coming out of Isolation
  • Various contexts of GHB use and how it’s changed during COVID-19
  • Upcoming work ACON is doing around GHB and its use


The Emerging Drug Network of Australia (EDNA) Project

Friday 12th June

Dr Jessamine Soderstrom

Emergency Physician & Clinical Toxicologist at Royal Perth Hospital & the National Poisons Network & Research Lead for the EDNA project

Topics include:

  • Patterns in admissions to Emergency Department during COVID-19 for Drug and Alcohol related issues
  • The Emerging Drug Network of Australia (EDNA) Project
  • How COVID-19 has impacted this project and aspirations for the future


Effects of isolation on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

Friday 29th May 

Private: Duran Cox

Indigenous Consultant & Conjoint Associate Lecturer (UNSW)
Duran is the Aboriginal Counsellor for the Drug and Alcohol service at St Vincents Hospital Sydney. Duran is a proud Ngiyampaa man. Ngiyampaa tribe is one of three traditional owners of Lake Mungo which
Read more

Scott Daley

Manager, Aboriginal Health, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney

Topics include:

  • Effects of Isolation on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
  • How services are adapting during COVID-19 and what we have learnt?
  • Barriers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people when presenting at an emergency department


Supporting families as we shutdown

Friday 22nd May 

Tony Trimingham OAM

CEO Family Drug Support

Topics included:

  • Issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic for families
  • How Family Drug Support have adapted
  • Referral options available


Real drug talk: connecting consumers in isolation

Friday 15th May

Jack Nagle

Founder of Realdrugtalk and has lived experience
    Jack Nagle Official website
Read more

Topics included:

  • Are people using more or less?
  • Services available and how people can connect with them
  • How can people connect while in isolation if concerned about presenting to a hospital?

 


Micro skills for AOD professionals working from home

Friday 8th May

Jennifer Blundell

Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) Counsellor and Training and Engagement Officer, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney

Topics included:

  • Developing micro skills for delivering services via the phone
  • Current issues facing clients
  • Ways to engage with clients when on the phone
  • Remaining professional whilst working from home


Worker wellbeing and best practice in AOD care

Friday 1st May

Private: Dr Suzie Hudson

Clinical Advisor to the Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAOD) at NSW Health
Suzie is an accredited mental health Social Worker and has over 20 years’ clinical experience in the fields of substance misuse, mental health, forensics, research and evaluation. Suzie has worked, developed
Read more

Topics included:

  • Privacy and confidentiality practices when providing counselling via phone or video-link
  • Introducing clients to receiving counselling via tele/video-link
  • Worker-well being issues


Transitioning to telehealth: providing critical service at a distance

24th April

Dr Elizabeth Knock

NCCRED Scholar
Dr Elizabeth Knock is a clinical psychologist leading an allied health team of counsellors at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Alcohol and Drug Service Outpatients and Stimulant Treatment Program. She provides
Read more

Topics included:

  • Transition to Telehealth and online consultations
  • Supporting people during times of uncertainty
  • Accessing care for rural and remote clients
  • Operational issues with the transition

Treating the hype: Supports and treatment responses for people impacted by methamphetamine use

NCCRED partnered with Dr Suzie Hudson (NADA) and Insight to deliver the webinar “Treating the hype: Supports and treatment responses for people impacted by methamphetamine use”.

Whilst overall rates of Methamphetamine use in Australia have remained stable in recent years, people who use methamphetamines are reporting higher rates of regular and dependent use, leading to complex physical, mental health and social problems. The role of treatment and other interventions is crucial in addressing these issues, along with residential rehabilitation, withdrawal management and counselling making. The evidence base for stimulant-specific interventions and treatment is modest to date, but building, recognising the need for effective support and acknowledging the frequent experience of discrimination around this substance.

This webinar was brought to you by Insight – for more resources please go to their website www.insight.qld.edu.au