Primary Health Tasmania will today open a tender for the delivery of treatment services for alcohol and other drugs.

Services – including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – will be funded from early 2017 until June
2019. They will focus on early intervention, treatment, coordination of care, and preventing relapse.

In 2013, 15.1% of Tasmanians reported using an illicit drug in the previous 12 months1

. And 18.6% of Tasmanians

consume alcohol at a level that presents a lifetime risk of harm (more than 2 standard drinks per day)2
.
Primary Health Tasmania general manager Mark Broxton said for some people, alcohol and other drug
dependence is a chronic relapsing condition.

“These people require support and treatment from a holistic and well integrated system and specialist services,” he
said.

“It is likely that these people will cycle in and out of treatment over time, hopefully making incremental gains along
the way.

“Effective alcohol and drug treatment and support changes people’s lives by improving their physical and mental
wellbeing.”

The Australian Government is funding the 31 Primary Health Networks (PHNs) around Australia – including
Primary Health Tasmania – to commission treatment services for alcohol and other drugs.

The aim of this drug and alcohol treatment funding is broader than commissioning extra treatment services. It’s
about building an effective and sustainable drug and alcohol service system into the future.

Tasmania’s drug and alcohol treatment services sector is relatively small, with a limited number of service
providers.

“This tender also seeks proposals to increase the capacity of the sector to deliver effective services through better
regional coordination and by targeting areas of need,” Mr Broxton said.

“This could include activities such as increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
qualified to work as alcohol and other drug workers, and helping the general practice workforce to better support
people who misuse alcohol and other drugs.”

1 DHHS Health Indicators Tasmania 2013
2 Under the 2009 National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines, adults – regardless of gender – are at risk of long-term harm if
consuming more than two standard drinks a day on average
Jenny Denholm Manager – Communications and Marketing