Trent Taylor, Manager of Clinical Partnerships, Mental Health Services in Lismore, said the Mental Health Line provides 24-hour mental health connection and referral services and is staffed by mental health professionals.

“The new Mental Health Line is a single point, state-wide service that will connect the people of NSW with the right care,” Mr Taylor said. 

“Services will continue to be provided at the same level as the existing Mental Health Access Line and callers will still receive the high level of care provided by the mental health professionals.”

The existing Mental Health Access Line number will continue to operate in parallel with the new Mental Health Line for some time to ensure the public has the opportunity to become familiar with the new number.

The new Mental Health Line 1800 011 511 number will be operational from November 2011, enhancing existing services by providing the opportunity for people to call one single number within NSW and directly link with local Mental Health Services, and to Mental Health Services in other regions throughout NSW connecting them to the right care.

Further information and access to marketing material will be available from Local Health District Community Mental Health Services.

An innovative Southern Cross University research project is investigating the link, in partnership with an aged care provider and a comedian.

Associate Professor John Stevens from the University’s School of Health and Human Services, Baptist Community Services NSW & ACT (BCS) and local comedian Mandy Nolan have received a $47,528 Federal Government Community Dementia grant to roll out the ‘Stand up for dementia: performance and humour as recreation and therapy’ project over the next six months as part of an ongoing dementia community service at the BCS Care Centre at Alstonville.

Associate Professor Stevens said the research would build on the results of a pilot program run in August last year that his wife, Mandy Nolan, facilitated.

“After a few sessions we were seeing these participants with dementia becoming a cohesive social group, laughing and enjoying each other’s company,” said Professor Stevens.

“But what was striking, individuals were starting to remember lines and routines from week to week. This is not expected from people with dementia.

“One woman, in particular, with severe short-term memory problems, hadn’t spoken in two years. But relatives were gobsmacked when they came to the final performance concert to see her up on the stage performing and laughing.”

BCS community services manager Tarnya Daniels said her organisation was excited about the research partnership.

“Baptist Community Services NSW & ACT is committed to improving the lives of older Australians,” said Ms Daniels.

“We received overwhelming positive responses from clients, carers and family members. Our clients were having a wonderful time filling the room with laughter and enjoying the role plays and feeling a sense of belonging within the group. We saw a therapeutic benefit not only for the clients but for carers as well.”

The project will seek to understand why performance-based humour activities have a therapeutic effect.

“One theory is perhaps the laughter is reducing inflammation within the brain that allows pathways to open up to memory again,” said Professor Stevens.

“Or perhaps it’s because we’re tapping into older memories of characters from when they were younger. Whatever is happening, the outcomes are extraordinary.”

Mandy Nolan teaches comedy to people of all ages, but she too was surprised by how well people with dementia responded.

“People with dementia live in the moment so they’re very good at improvisation. I adapted the comedy routines to be theatre sports based, using role plays and tapping into people’s history and life stories. Instantly everyone’s laughing and engaged,” Ms Nolan said.

“I think when you have dementia you spend a lot of time improvising in life because that’s how you survive. It’s actually their strongest skill.

“They’re sometimes better than a group without dementia because the loss of inhibition is appropriate for the kind of exercises I do. The more uninhibited you are, the better you’ll be.”

The funding allows for two eight-week workshops in stand-up comedy, improvisation and performance for people with mild to moderate dementia. The participants are existing community care clients of BCS and other service providers.

At the same time, Ms Nolan is developing and delivering a train-the-trainers program for future facilitators of the ‘Stand up for dementia’ program.

“The aim is for anyone with experience in working with people with dementia and a theatrical or performance background to take this respite care activity more widely into the community,” she said.

PICTURE: Standing up for dementia are Associate Professor John Stevens, comedian Mandy Nolan and Baptist Community Services’ Tarnya Daniels.

Ms Saffin said Northern Rivers cancer patients, and their families and carers, could look forward to conveniently located, low-cost accommodation while patients had  treatment across the road at Lismore’s Integrated Cancer Care Centre

“The Government originally allocated $2.6 million from the Health and Hospitals Fund’s (HHF) Regional Cancer Care Centre initiative to the Northern Rivers Community Cancer Foundation Limited to purchase and build Our House on its Hunter Street site,” Ms Saffin said.

“However, the old Jildyn Flats were found to contain asbestos and termites, resulting in a change of the project’s scope from refurbishment to demolition and construction, entailing additional costs.

“This extra investment of $946,000 under the HHF’s Regional Priority Round will allow the Northern Rivers Community Cancer Foundation and Our Kids to construct their 20-unit lodge as planned. Our House will also include a manager’s residence, a Cancer Council New South Wales office and car parking.”

Ms Saffin was joined on site for the announcement by Northern Rivers Community Cancer Foundation Chair Dr Chris Ingall, Our Kids Chair Mrs Annie Curtin, Foundation and Our Kids secretary/fundraiser Rebekka Battista, and other health representatives.

Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan said projects like Our House will greatly improve access to quality health care, while also stimulating the local economy and creating jobs.

“Finding room in this very responsible 2011-12 Budget for expanded health services has been difficult, but shows what a high priority it is for the Gillard Government,’’ Mr Swan said.

Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said the project had been selected for funding from the Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF) Regional Priority Round. She said the applications were assessed by the independent HHF Advisory Board and found to satisfy the funding requirements.

“These new projects and many other projects around Australia being funded from the Fund’s Regional Priority Round will help strengthen regional health and hospital services and build a better system for the future,” she said.

Theses projects are part of the Government’s $5-billion commitment to health and hospital infrastructure as part of its national health reform agenda and adds to the Government’s past investment in New South Wales.

Ms Saffin said local people can look forward to better access to health care with today’s announcement of funding under round five of the Australian Government’s National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP).

“The money will be used to purchase equipment to develop a Urological Centre of Excellence at St Vincent’s, to service the Lismore region,” she said.

The CEO of St Vincent’s, Bob Walsh, said he was delighted with the news of the grant that will be used to establish first Lithotripsy service for the North Coast, to treat public and private patients suffering from Renal Calculi.

“At present, patients suffering from Renal Calculi undergo excruciating pain and those needing immediate treatment have to travel to Brisbane or Newcastle,” he said.

“The establishment of a Lithotripsy service at St Vincent’s Private Hospital will reduce suffering and inconvenience and ensure patients are treated in a timely manner in their local community.”

Ms Saffin said today’s announcement demonstrates the Government’s commitment to reducing the divide between rural and metropolitan health services, ensuring timely access to health services when and where people need them.

And they are good enough for health-conscious supermodel Miranda Kerr, who is using and endorsing the bottles.

The first of its kind in Australia, the makers say the Fill2Pure has been subject to rigorous clinical testing with independent laboratories and the armed forces in remote locations including Afghanistan and Iraq prior to market release.

The bottle can be filled with tap water from any country in the world. The bottle’s filter removes up to 99.99% of all contaminants including chlorine, heavy metals, fluoride, bacteria such as e-coli and giardia and other industrial and agricultural waste but leaves in beneficial trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium.

“Good water is the foundation of good health,” said Ian Blair Hamilton, founder of AlkaWay and author of The Untold Truth About The Cause of Disease.

“With these bottles you can forget about buying bottled water ever again.”

The Fill2Pure revolution is set to reduce the millions of barrels of oil and the megalitres of water used in the production of plastic bottles every year.

It takes three times the amount of water to produce one plastic bottle as it does to fill it.

Pro surfer Dan Ross is widely regarded as the fittest surfer on the Elite World Tour.

“I am strict with what fuel I put into my body and after feeling the benefits of alkalized water, it now plays a vital role in my training and everyday life” said Dan.

“It’s like doing a mini detox every day and I feel so much better.”

The Fill2Pure bottle comes in stainless steel (800ml) in blue or silver and sells for $59.95. Filter life is 380 litres (approximately 500 bottles).

The BPA free plastic sports version (500ml) sells for $39.95. Filter life is 200 litres (400 bottles).

Replacement filters are $32.

Bottle prices include a free sachet to alkalise and energise 100 litres of water.

The Fill2Pure bottles are available at Fundamentals Byron Bay and Lismore, The Byron at Byron Resort, Inner Beauty Lennox Head, Go Vita Ballina, Outdoorism Murwillumbah, AlkaWay in the Byron Arts and Industry Estate or online www.alkaway.com.au

PICTURES: Surfer Dan Ross with his Fill2Pure bottle at the Quiksilver Pro, and the products.

The announcement is part of the Gillard Government’s $356 million to boost specialist doctors across the country, particularly in regional areas.

Minister Roxon said 518 trainee doctors are being supported to undertake specialist medical training – an increase of nearly 44% on 2010 and an unprecedentend investment in the Specialist Training Program (STP) by the Government.

Ms Saffin  said the extra invesment in four specialist doctor trainees in Page was a great boost for the local community.

She said: “We want to get specialist doctors out into the community and this programs means that we get:

·       A Geriatric Medicine specialist Lismore Base Hospital and Community Health

·       An Anaesthesia specialist at Lismore Base Hospital

·       An Indigenous Child Health specialist at North Coast Area Health Service – Lismore-based

·       A Gastroenterology specialist at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Lismore.

Ms Saffin said she was delighted that one of her major election commitments from the 2007 election – Ochre Health Group’s $5 million GP Super Clinic on the corner of Clarence and Fitzroy streets – was under way.

“The Grafton GP Super Clinic will house general practitioners and allied health professionals, plus offer integrated chronic disease management services and provide training and education for future health professionals,” Ms Saffin said.

“Preventative services will also be available from the clinic to address conditions including obesity, respiratory disease, circulatory disease, mental health conditions and musculoskeletal disease. Pharmacy and pathology services will also be available.”

Ms Saffin paid tribute to local GPs and practice managers, and civic leaders, for participating in earlier public consultations she organised to ensure that the clinic would be best-practice and designed to meet health needs in the local community.

Ochre Health has chosen National Buildplan Group Pty Ltd as its main contractor, and the project is expected to provide work for local sub-contractors and suppliers.  

Ms Saffin said GP Super Clinics were a key part of the Australian Government’s health reforms.

“We are putting new primary health care facilities in local communities where people need them most, particularly where it’s difficult to see a doctor or where there is high population growth,” Ms Saffin said.

“They provide integrated, multidisciplinary, team-based, patient-centered health services, usually in a single location, bringing together GPs, nurses, visiting medical specialists, allied health professionals and other health care providers and services.”

In 2010-11, the Australian Government committed $370.2 million over three years for an additional 28 GP Super Clinics, including a $7 million one in Lismore, and around 425 Primary Care Infrastructure Grants to upgrade and extend existing general practices, primary care and community health services, and Aboriginal Medical Services.

This builds on the Government’s initial investment of $280.2 million for 36 GP Super Clinics across Australia. With the inclusion of Grafton, 30 GP Super Clinics are either operational, providing early services or under construction.

“To have this commitment for both projects is extremely exciting for the health services in the Northern Rivers region,” Mr Page said.

“The statewide pledge of $3 billion for health infrastructure includes $7.5 million to cost stage 3 at Lismore Base Hospital and $1 million to get the Central Byron Shire Hospital shovel-ready.

“Both of these hospital projects have been on the drawing board for many years. The NSW Liberals’ and Nationals’ commitment will see these important health infrastructure projects a step closer to becoming reality.”

Planning for the new Byron Shire Central Hospital continues, with the Byron Shire Council now collating public submissions relating to the rezoning of the site.

The proposed Byron Shire Central Hospital development provides for the construction of a 54-bed hospital as well as an emergency department, acute medical beds, low-risk maternity services for the Ballina and Byron shires and private and public surgical services for residents of the Byron shire. The proposal also includes a new ambulance station.

“Once the rezoning of the Ewingsdale site is completed, which I expect to occur in the next couple of months, the ambulance station will be built. Funding for the $1.4 million station is in the current budget and work will start as soon as the rezoning process is finalised,” Mr Page said.

“Until now, the Health Department has always advised that there is no point in doing all the final planning documentation (e.g. updated service plan) until the capital funding is in the budget. 

“I am strongly of the view that we have to make our central hospital project ‘shovel-ready’ to attract the capital funding from the Federal Government as it becomes available. Accordingly, a Liberals and Nationals government will provide the funding to make the project shovel-ready should we win government on March 26th.”