Comorbid Drug & Alcohol and Mental Health

People with either mental health or alcohol and other drug conditions can often experience fear, anxiety and discomfort in seeking treatment. They may also encounter challenges in accessing the appropriate services and care required.

Those who have both mental health and alcohol and other drug conditions can face additional barriers in obtaining co-ordinated and integrated care. They often have to repeat their story multiple times to different clinicians, and they may find it difficult to navigate and engage with treatment services due to inadequate communication and co-ordination between services.

South-Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) Drug & Alcohol and Mental Health Services have been working closely over the past few years to improve the collaboration between services. This includes; integration, improved service delivery, and co-ordinated care for people with moderate to severe comorbid mental health and alcohol and other drug conditions.

The collaboration between Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol Services continues to develop, and is maintained through monthly meetings between executives from each service, and local meetings attended by staff at three sites across SESLHD. These meetings provide the opportunity for strategic planning, as well as case discussions/reviews, addressing service gaps or process issues, and upskilling staff from both services.

A collaborative care procedure was developed to guide clinical staff in the provision of care to people with moderate to severe comorbid conditions. Reviews are conducted to determine compliance with the procedure, and to identify opportunities for further improvement. In addition, there are a range of other activities, including; shared education and training, staff exchange, Comorbidity Clinical Nurse Consultants (CNC) at three sites across the district working with both services, and Peer/Consumer Workers providing support for people accessing the services.

All of these and other initiatives provide an opportunity for greater collaboration and the provision of integrated care not only within the local health district, but also with other services and organisations that the patient may be accessing or be referred to, including; non-government organisations, general practitioners, community pharmacies etc.

The SESLHD GP Liaison in Alcohol and other Drugs (GLAD) CNC will be able to support GPs who have patients with comorbid mental health and alcohol and other drug conditions, and will work closely with the local health district and the GP to facilitate a seamless transfer of care, provide information and advice, and can assist with arranging the ongoing provision of integrated care.

Continued collaboration and shared care will improve the experience and outcomes for the patient, and their family/carers, by reducing replication and barriers to treatment, and replacing siloed service provision with integrated care.