Shadow minister Ryan Park comments on 'critical' lack of rehab services in Dubbo

Ryan Park MP told Daily Liberal the delayed alcohol and other drug residential rehabilitation centre for Dubbo had been proposed many times before in the region's health inquiry.

He said it was an issue that needed to be prioritised, because treatment for patients was "critical" to reversing the harm caused by drugs in the community.

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"It's very important that this new facility is prioritised by the Government given the lack of treatment services was an issue raised frequently in the rural and regional health inquiry," Mr Park said.

"Giving people an opportunity to get access to this important treatment service is critical if we are going to start the long process of trying to reverse the harm drugs like ice are doing across the community.

"Everyone agrees that having access to treatment services is critical to ensuring individuals and families get their lives back on track."

CEO of the Western NSW Primary Health Network, Andrew Coe, said they would be introducing a new in-home detox pilot service to combat the lack of rehab services in the region.

"The challenge we have in Western NSW is that we don't have enough detox and rehab. I'm hopeful that that will change in coming months," Mr Coe said.

"In the interim, this offer from Chris and the team could be a really good thing."

Mr Coe is referring to Chris Raine from Clean Slate Clinic, a clinic which will be providing 20 in-home detox placements for people in Western NSW with an alcohol addiction.

"This is about doing something right now... to help people, who want to do stuff at home. It means that they haven't got to leave their family," Mr Coe said.

"At the moment, they can't go anywhere because we don't have anywhere.

"So it's a good short term solution, I think."

The responsibility of constructing Dubbo's proposed rehab centre was assumed by the Western NSW Local Health District in February this year. Since then, the District has not been able to successfully find a parcel of land that is suitable and available for the facility.

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