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 

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

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

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

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

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 

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 

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

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

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

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