A dedicated group of health practitioners in Canberra has continued to care for some of the city's most vulnerable - the homeless, those addicted to drugs and alcohol, some battling mental health issues, others with chronic health conditions - throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Directions Health Services, previously known as Directions ACT, has provided treatment and support to people impacted by alcohol, drugs and other addictions for more than 40 years. That support continued throughout the pandemic.
Directions Health Services CEO Bronwyn Hendry said people with addictions often had mental and other health issues which could easily spiral because of the difficulties they might face accessing services, especially during times of social distancing.
"For many of us, staying at home and being isolated has been inconvenient and potentially stressful. However, we have taken comfort in knowing that if we needed medical care we could easily access it," Ms Hendry said.
"Many of our clients do not enjoy this confidence, even when Australia is not in the midst of a pandemic.
"Our exceptional staff have worked tirelessly to keep services such as counselling, residential programs, health care, needle and syringe program, treatment and support services and self-help groups running across NSW and the ACT.
"While some of these services are being delivered slightly differently, such as via telehealth or over Zoom, we are very pleased they are still available."
Directions Health provides outreach services each week at Ainslie Village and Oaks Estate. Nurse Ali Loom attends both places each week. She also works at Directions Health's Althea Wellness Centre in Woden and provides a weekly clinic at the Needle and Syringe Program in Civic.
Ms Loom said her patients had often felt judged or discriminated against by other health professionals in the past. Her job was to take the time to gain their trust so they felt able to discuss their health issues with her.
"I have a regular group of patients who have health care questions, who need scripts, mental health support, or help managing a chronic condition. Every week I will see at least one or two patients who would not have sought care from another service who need things like wound care, Ventolin, or an urgent referral. Because they trust us, they trust who we refer them to," she said.
Other services providing support to locations such as Ainslie Village ceased following the coronavirus outbreak. Directions Health did not.
"Our patients assumed we would also stop coming," Ms Loom said. "For them, having us continue showing up proved someone did care about them and they weren't being forgotten in the midst of this crisis."
COVID-19 meant the outreach service was now being delivered in larger on-site spaces to allow for social distancing and PPE was used.
GP Cath Horan, with Directions Health outreach services for two years, has also worked throughout the pandemic.
"For our outreach patients, the traditional model of care does not work for them. Getting to a doctor can be difficult, they don't want to share their story with a different GP every time they go, and cost is a barrier. A lot of the people I see, tell me they haven't seen a GP in 20 years."
Dr Horan said the outreach program brought health care professionals directly to people and allowed them to build long-term relationships.
"People come to rely on us. Our patients haven't seen a doctor in a long time and this is not because they don't need care."
Patients were "grateful we are still coming out and that we are doing all we can to protect ourselves and them".
