In South Western Sydney, the demand for alcohol and other drug support services has increased over the past 10 years as the population grows.
But are such services easy to access and meeting the unique needs of the region’s community?
The next series of local health forums by South Western Sydney PHN (SWSPHN) will provide some of the answers.
Scheduled for early April, the forums will bring together healthcare and service providers, those with lived experience of drug and alcohol use and the wider community to discuss service needs, gaps and priorities.
Participants will explore what makes it difficult to access drug and alcohol services, what makes it easier to access them, and identify solutions for enhancing the quality and use of local services, with a special focus on supporting vulnerable population groups.
SWSPHN hosts local health forums twice a year to focus on health topics important to people living in our community. Past forums have focused on topics including mental health, primary care workforce need and end-of-life planning.
SWSPHN chief executive officer Keith McDonald says demand for services would grow as the region’s population grew, and it was important to ensure they were put in place to not only meet this demand but to address the specific needs of South Western Sydney.
“Consultation undertaken as part of SWSPHN’s 2025 to 2028 needs assessment highlighted the demand for holistic programs which target physical, mental and social support,” he said.
“There was also a recognition of the need for better coordination of care between alcohol and drug other services, in particular counselling.
“Local Health Forums are an opportunity for community, healthcare and services providers to engage and collaborate not only with SWSPHN but with each other.
“I encourage anyone with an interest to come along and make a contribution. The more voices we have, the more effective our services will be and the healthier our community will be.”
FORUMS SNAPSHOT:
For people who live or work in the Southern Highlands or Wollondilly, Tuesday, 1 April, 6.30pm to 9pm, Park Proxi Gibraltar, 7 Boronia Street, Bowral. Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/local-health-forum-alcohol-and-other-drugs-tickets-1246861950659
For people who live or work in Campbelltown or Camden, Thursday, 3 April, 6.30pm to 9pm, Rydges Campbelltown. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/local-health-forum-alcohol-and-other-drugs-tickets-1246868821209
For people who live or work in Bankstown, Fairfield or Liverpool, Thursday, 10 April, 6.30pm to 9pm, Rydges Bankstown. Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/local-health-forum-alcohol-and-other-drugs-tickets-1246870295619
An online survey is also available for people who would like to contribute but cannot attend. Take the survey here: https://surveys.swsphn.com.au/n/2JNtw02?ver=1806222146538994427
