About
Drug Health Services provide a range of services throughout Sydney Local Health District in hospitals, community health centres and in the community to address problematic use of and harm caused by alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
We offer clinical services at Canterbury, Concord and RPA Hospitals, and at Croydon, Marrickville and Redfern Health Centres.
We work alongside community representatives and other government and non-government organisations to address community concerns about drug and alcohol use.
Beyond our District, we support and manage relevant state-wide and national services across the Alcohol and Other Drug sector, including the New South Wales Drug and Alcohol Health Services Library and the National Poisons Register.
Anyone seeking support for drug and alcohol problems can call our Drug Health Services Centralised Intake Line on 1800 793 466 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am-5pm). You will be directed to an appropriate drug health service or referred to a more suitable service.
How we approach treatment
| Harm reduction | We don’t judge drug or alcohol use, instead we try to help you to limit and reduce any harms related to your use. |
|---|---|
| Equity | We try to provide culturally appropriate and accessible care, no matter who you are, and where you come from. |
| Trauma-informed patient and family centred care | We acknowledge the impact of past adverse experiences and understand that sometimes, you might need us to go slow. We also try to help you find and build your own strengths at your own pace. |
| Partnership | We work closely with our patients, their families, communities and service partners to achieve their own goals, acknowledging your participation is always voluntary. |
| Evidence-based practice | We develop and deliver models of care in line with the best evidence while continually conducting evaluation to monitor our practice effectiveness. |
| Early intervention and prevention | We engage with individuals and communities to build strengths and resilience and to try prevent and reduce further harm. We try to listen, provide information and where appropriate, brief interventions and referrals to other sources of support. |
| Research | Our multi-disciplinary research ranges from early interventions for drug and alcohol use, genetic and molecular mechanisms of tissue injury, clinical trials in the treatment of substance use disorders, and encompasses a broad range of disciplines including clinical toxicology, addiction medicine, public health, epidemiology, hepatology, mental health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. |
Strategic plan
Our team
The Drug Health Services Executive comprises a multidisciplinary team of senior experienced staff who provide leadership and governance for our many services. Clinical governance at each of our hospital facilities is also supported by appointed Heads of Department and Directors.
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Executive |
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|---|---|
| General Manager | Judy Pearson |
| Clinical Director | Professor Paul Haber AM |
| Acting Director Partnerships, Performance and Planning | Ajay Philip |
| Director of Specialist Services | Martin O’Donnell |
| Operational Nurse Manager | Christine Dictado |
| Finance and Corporate Manager | Sophie Lu |
| Programs and Community Engagement Manager | Amos Hee |
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Department Heads and Directors |
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| Clinical Director and Head of Department, Drug Health Services, RPA Hospital |
Professor Paul Haber AM |
| Staff Specialist and Head of Department, Drug Health Services, Concord Hospital |
Dr Huw Davie |
| Acting Head of Department, Drug Health Services, Canterbury Hospital |
Professor Paul Haber AM |
| Staff Specialist and Director of Clinical Toxicology and Pharmacology, RPA Hospital |
Professor Andrew Dawson |