WentWest Stories, Head to Health: Alina’s story
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on mental health in Australia, with lockdowns, job scarcity, financial instability and isolation all contributing factors to people’s wellbeing. Head to Health mental health clinics and referral line were established to support those whose mental health may be suffering as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative […]
NSW PHNs Target COVID-19 Vaccination Rates and Mental Health
Over the past few months, WentWest has brought together a group of NSW Primary Health Networks to collaborate on a joint COVID-19 vaccination and mental health campaign. Whilst NSW celebrates surpassing 85% double-dose vaccination rates, there is a need to ensure that community members’ ongoing physical and mental health remains a priority. As the […]
WentWest Stories, Marrin Weejali: Maya’s Story
Marrin Weejali is an Aboriginal community organisation providing culturally safe alcohol, other drug and non-acute mental health counselling, referral and advocacy services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Sydney. One in six women in Australia have experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or previous partner, and one in four have […]
WentWest Stories, H2H: Claire’s Story
Over 3,000 people lose their lives to suicide each year in Australia.1 Hospital to Home (H2H) supports people living with mental health conditions and those who have attempted suicide for up to twelve weeks following their discharge from hospital. Those first few months are when people are most vulnerable and likely to re-admit to hospital with a mental health concern. The […]
WentWest Stories, Marrin Weejali: Michael’s Story
Marrin Weejali is an Aboriginal community organisation providing culturally safe alcohol, drug and non-acute mental health counselling, referral and advocacy services in Western Sydney. They take a personal and community-driven approach to identify the root causes of substance misuse and help clients find healthy solutions to work through their mental health issues.Over 13,000 Aboriginal and […]
WentWest Stories, the Shed: Luke’s Story
Compared to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the same age group, the Stolen Generations are 40% more likely to be living with a profound disability and 40% more likely to have poor mental health1. The Shed is a safe, welcoming environment where people can share their stories in a non-judgemental setting. The service assists […]
WentWest Stories, Safe Space: Victoria’s Story
Stride is a mental health charity delivering a range of services designed to support those experiencing mental health concerns, including Safe Space in Blacktown. The Safe Space house is equipped with sensory rooms and staffed by peer workers, support workers and mental health specialists who offer care outside of a clinical environment. Mental health is […]
Head to Health: Connecting Community to Mental Health Care during Lockdown
WentWest, the Western Sydney Primary Health Network (PHN), is proud to be launching the Head to Health Pop Up initiative in collaboration with the Department of Health (DoH) and all NSW PHNs. This ground-breaking program responds to the needs of our community as they tackle new mental health challenges as a result of the ongoing […]
HealthPathways – localised health information at your fingertips
Western Sydney HealthPathways provides relevant, up-to-date clinical information on managing patient medical conditions, as well as referral information for local services. The dedicated HealthPathways team, in collaboration with local medical experts from the Western Sydney Local Health District and the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, continually develop new localised pathways and review existing pathways to […]
Tackling Mental Health and Suicide in Western Sydney
What is the current state of mental health in Australia? The 2018 National Health Survey estimated that one in five Australians suffered from a mental or behavioural condition. This does not account for the effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of the population. headspace studies are already highlighting the impact of the pandemic on our youth, with 74% […]