Call the FREE epilepsy helpline

Do you have epilepsy or experience seizures? Are you feeling isolated, need advice about your medications, or just want to chat?

Call or email the EPILEPSY NURSE LINE. It is available 9am to 5pm, seven days per week.

Each call will be answered immediately by a Registered Nurse with special training in epilepsy management. You can trust that the information you receive will be accurate and safe.

If you prefer to email, you will receive a response within 24 hours.  

The service is proudly provided by Epilepsy Action Australia, with the financial assistance of the Australian Department of Health.

FREE EPILEPSY NURSE LINE – 1300 EPILEPSY (1300 37 45 37) OR epilepsy@epilepsy.org.au

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INVITATION: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative (the Collaborative) invites you to get involved with the local co-design of the Towards Zero Suicides initiatives.

In partnership with the Local Health District and the Primary Health Network, the Collaborative, is bringing together a rich and diverse group of stakeholders to collaborate with the common purpose of designing supports that better meet the needs of people in suicidal crisis.

The initial co-design of the Safe Spaces initiative has now taken place and the service will soon be put out for tender. The next initiative to be co-designed is the Suicide Prevention Outreach Teams.

Suicide Prevention Outreach Teams

Suicide Prevention Outreach Teams (SP Outreach Teams) will provide assertive immediate and follow-up care for people in the community experiencing a suicidal crisis. SP Outreach Teams will be funded by NSW Ministry of Health, but delivered locally by non-government organisation/s.

The co-design

Critically, these SP Outreach Teams must be designed through a genuine collaboration between those who provide supports and those who use them. This is essential to making sure the new services meet the needs of our community, complement existing supports, and reach those who are struggling but not already connecting with local supports.

People with a lived experience of suicide have a particularly vital role to play in designing supports that meet the needs of the people who access them.

The co-design process is an open, respectful one where all participants are equal. All participants will have their voice heard and respected.

It will be an opportunity to:

• Have your experience valued, and use your experience to help others.
• Contribute your ideas about what these services need to look like in order to meet the needs of our community.

How to get involved

The co-design process for SP Outreach Teams will run from August – September 2020. There will be multiple opportunities and ways for people with lived experience and health professionals / service providers to contribute including online surveys and focus groups.

If you, or anyone you know, would like to be involved, you can express your interest via the link below:

www.suicidepreventioncollaborative.org.au/TZS

Expressions of interest for participating via online focus groups close on midnight Wednesday 5th August.

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