| 6 May 2009: Carers Should be Part of a Seamless Process |
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Carers across Australia need greater recognition and linkage with health and community care providers in the delivery of treatment and services to ensure there is a seamless process for the benefit of those in their care.
Commenting today on recommendations made by the House of Representatives Family Committee in their report “Who Cares…?”, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA), David Templeman, said that coordination of services had been identified as being a gap in the system. “ADCA wholeheartedly welcomes the 50 recommendations, particularly Recommendation 14 which focuses on the importance of informing health and community care providers to involve carers in the treatment and services for those receiving such services,” Mr Templeman said. “In the past, the carer has often been overlooked by health and community care providers who have dealt directly with people in need, and this matter needs to be rectified.” Mr Templeman said the report clearly demonstrated that there was evidence growing in strength that when a proactive approach was taken to include a carer, the better the outcomes became. “To exclude a carer from vital information such as changes in medication, behavioural patterns, and a person’s overall health is detrimental to all concerned,” Mr Templeman said. “Case studies outlined to the Committee clearly showed that in some extreme instances where there were mental health as well as alcohol and other drugs issues, medical practitioners and health workers needed to understand the importance of involving a carer from start to finish.” Mr Templeman said ADCA was very aware that carers could be a valuable source of information when it came to analysing what treatment services might be appropriate, and in the best interest of the person requiring treatment and care. “There are many avenues of support across the health and wellbeing system, including those in the alcohol and other drugs sector, and ADCA believes there should be a holistic approach to including carers in the decision-making process,” Mr Templeman said. Mr Templeman stressed that ADCA wanted to ensure carers were recognised as an integral element in the overall process, as at the end of the day they were the ones left to care for their loved ones. Media Enquiries: |
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