Hydromorphone trial
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (18:10:44):
My adjournment matter today is for the Minister for Mental Health, and the action I seek is for the minister to immediately introduce a hydromorphone trial as part of the medically supervised injecting centre.
Part of this is that I just want to read the following poem, which was written by a user of the MSIC who recently died.
His grief-stricken father, who would rather not be named here today, wrote to me to thank me and colleagues across the Parliament for supporting the injecting room—and to support a hydromorphone trial.
There is a great place us outcast drug users can go,
Where we can come to safely use our show.
A safe room to keep us alive,
And I want to share how much it means to me and everyone should know.
All are allowed young, mature and old,
As for dedication for my safety, the injecting room is sold.
Carefully the staff are there so we can safely inject,
Friendly without judgement for it’s our lives they protect.
Making sure if need be reversing an overdose effect.
All times friendly and helpful, they truly make an effort to connect.
Those who work here are surely worth much more than their weight in gold.
I feel warmly treated like family, the reception is never cold.
Now, three times they have saved my life, if not for this place I’d be in great strife.
So us users who tend to walk on the edge of a knife,
I advise you an OD never needs to end a life.
My admiration and respect for this caring crew I cannot portray in words,
More positive recognition each one deserves.
Sadly, this person could not use the centre at a time when it was shut, and he died. Marginalised heroin users spend most of their time trying to acquire heroin and the money to pay for it. In desperation, they turn to crime and they turn to drug trafficking. It is maintenance therapy, and it is chaotic.
If we had a hydromorphone trial, we would be able to improve the amenity of the area, reduce crime in the area, save people’s lives and move them onto a better path. So I seek the minister’s support for that.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan Region
Adjournment matter raised 15/8/19
Answer
Mr FOLEY (Albert Park—Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Equality, Minister for Creative Industries):
This young man’s family contacted me recently and shared his poem with me. My thoughts are with all his family and friends for their terrible loss.
Alcohol and other drug problems—including those that result in overdose—are complex, affecting not just individuals but their families, their friends and their communities.
This is why, in 2019-20, the Government is investing a record $273.1 million in drug services, representing an increase in investment of 65 per cent through the last five State Budgets.
Pharmacotherapies such as methadone and buprenorphine are highly effective treatments for opioid dependence, and therefore a key part of this Government’s investment. We want to maximise the life-saving potential of pharmacotherapy.
The potential listing of new Long Acting Injectable Buprenorphine pharmacotherapy provides an opportunity to look at how new clinical products can be incorporated into existing pharmacotherapy services to support more people to successfully engage with harm reduction services.
These new treatment pathways and medications highlight the need to keep assessing new evidence for all treatment options for drug dependence, like hydromorphone.
We also need to minimise barriers to treatments that are already known to be effective. This includes advocating to the Commonwealth to remove systemic cost barriers by eliminating uncapped daily dispensing fees for methadone and buprenorphine and treating pharmacotherapy like all other subsidised medicines.
We will never stop working to reduce the harm drugs cause in communities across Victoria. We will never stop working to help individuals and families to tackle addiction, and ensure our community is safe.