Is there a doctor in the house?
BY LAUREN MARTIN
A five-day-a-week health clinic specialising in mental health and addiction issues is about to begin operation from within The Salvation Army’s Project 614 mission in inner-city Melbourne.
The Salvation Army Project 614 Corps has partnered with cohealth and the state government to develop the service, allowing community members who access Project 614 assistance and services to see a doctor. They will also be able to access mental health services.
Cohealth is a not-for-profit community health organisation that already provides essential health services in Melbourne and the east coast of Tasmania.
“It goes to the heart of us being a Salvation Army because [having] those services [here] is literally going to help save lives.”
Cohealth doctor Paul MacCartney said he and fellow doctor Dean Membrey met Salvation Army Project 614 Corps Officer Major Brendan Nottle a while back and discussed the benefits of working together.
“We do have a number of clients in common, so Brendan invited us down. We checked out the café, and as Dean and I were walking out, we thought, ‘This is a place where we ought to come and set up a medical clinic.’ We could see that there was a need, and we felt like we could do some good work there.
“We mentioned that to Brendan, and once you mention something to Brendan, things start to happen!”
Fast forward a few months, and the clinic is about to become a reality. The project has been funded through the Victorian government’s Statewide Action Plan to reduce drug harm.
“We are pleased that the government has recognised the need to provide this type of health service at a location like Project 614, and we are very grateful that their support has helped our vision come to life,” said Dr Dean Membrey.
The Victorian Government has recently appointed Dr Paul MacCartney as the state’s first Chief Addiction Medicine Adviser. This role will lead work within the health system to ensure more people get the necessary care. Despite the role, which will see him guide the development of Victoria’s first-ever Alcohol and Other Drugs strategy to address drug harm over the long term, he will continue to practise on the frontline, including working at the new clinic at The Salvation Army Project 614.
“It’s amazing,” said Brendan. “Health, mental health and addiction are really significant issues that we see every day. It goes to the heart of us being a Salvation Army because [having] those services [here] is literally going to help save lives.”
Dr Paul said the clinic will be Medicare-based, allowing people who experience financial stress to access essential healthcare for free.
“Our speciality is in doing addiction work, and we know that for a number of people who come here [to Project 614], that is an issue for them, but also being able to link people up to the other services that are attached to this site already. We are excited that there are Centrelink workers here and NDIS are here as well.
“And we know that for people to access those services, people need a doctor’s signature, so if we can help to be part of that team that’s looking after people, that’s what we’re really looking forward to.”
