Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 10 Hansard (12 October) . . Page.. 2972 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

About 12 months ago we announced that the alcohol and drug service within Community Care would be undergoing significant change, and a process has been under way since then to negotiate the change, to employ new people and to restructure the program. Pertinent in people's minds at the moment would be that one key feature of the new arrangement is a single point of entry assessment and plan for consumers in the program. That particular feature started only yesterday, so there will be concern now about what we lose at the same time as we have gain.

Consumers are now assessed for eligibility and prioritised for an assessment. The categories are crisis intervention, requiring a response from straightaway to two hours; high risk of harm, requiring a 24-hour response; and risk of harm, requiring a 72-hour response. It is expected that the majority of consumers will require their assessment within 72 hours. Then there is a comprehensive assessment of the person to determine their needs and to meet those needs in a fairly structured way.

Ms Tucker, you also asked me specifically about the duty counsellor. Although I have followed the restructure, having been briefed on it on a number of occasions, I do not recall the issue of the duty counsellor. I will get back to you on that, but I presume that in setting up our new system we have a more structured approach than the duty counsellor.

Ms Tucker also raised the budget for training and staff. I do know that a series of advertisements have appeared in the paper for people appropriately qualified for the tasks at hand. I am sure that the appropriate qualifications are there.

It seems to me that in doing a restructure like this there will be a downside. Almost every time there is a downside. But the positive outcomes we get will far outweigh that downside. That is certainly what I expect to be the case. I will come back specifically to answer those parts of your question that I have not answered today.

MS TUCKER: I have a supplementary question. I look forward to receiving the more detailed answers to those questions. Minister, you said that you are hoping or you are sure that it will be an improved service. Are you at this moment keeping statistics on matters such as waiting times and access to counsellors?

MR MOORE: We are keeping statistics on waiting times. The service covers a whole range of areas. We have kept a very close eye on waiting times for methadone treatment, for example, as well as for such things as counselling. I will comment on counselling first. As I explained, Ms Tucker, the system is set up to respond within 24 hours or to respond within 72 hours. We keep records on responses and compare them. We know, for example, that this financial year there have been 131 occasions when people have failed to keep counselling appointments. We also have to pay to follow up a person who does not attend counselling. It is not being done in an ad hoc manner.

This same restructure deals with such things as how the methadone program operates. I think we had a question in the Assembly some time ago about the computer systems in the methadone program. You may have even asked the question, Ms Tucker. The computers now appear to be in place and operating. It has been quite some time since we have had a significant waiting list. In fact, our waiting list has been zero. The waiting time for appointments is dependent upon the availability of a medical officer. It is

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .