Australia’s first ice triage to divert drug users away from hospital ED’s

THE man behind the idea of Australia’s first ice inhalation room has shifted his focus to creating an ice triage room, to divert drug users away from hospital emergency departments.

Plans are now in place to create Australia’s first ice triage room.

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MATT Noffs has parked the idea of creating Australia’s first ice inhalation room. Instead focusing his efforts on creating an ice triage room, to divert drug users away from hospital emergency departments.

He’s already in talks with the NSW Government and plans to form a committee of experts, drug users and community members to come up with the best model.

“A triage room would effectively be separating drug presentations,” he said.

“It would be for ice, but other drugs including alcohol could be part of it.

“What I want to do is bring people together ... experts, health professionals, government and drug and alcohol users to help make it safer for the community.”

He said throwing drug users, families and health staff into the emergency department made it hard for police.

Matt Noffs. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

“We can develop a more thorough system that takes everyone into account,” he said. “This (ice triage) is a compromise for me but I think it’s a happy compromise.

“What has been very clear is, Liverpool deserves the very best health services.

“In the meantime, I want to work out ways to clean up the needles on the streets.”

He said there were proven ways of doing that and he was happy to spend time with the community on working out ways to do that.

Mr Noffs plans to get stuck into the ice triage room in the new year, sitting down with ministers.

“I don’t want this to be my idea. It has to be a shared vision,” he said.

“What it (ice triage) looks like and where it goes will be decided by the relevant experts including community members and drug users.

Gary Ramage’s Nikon-Walkley Photo of the Year 2015 captures a scene at the Royal Perth Hospital emergency department. A young man is brought in a state of psychosis and is treated by the emergency medical staff. Picture: Gary Ramage

“We conflate drug and alcohol issues with other emergency issues in a hospital setting. That really does create a significant problem.

“I respect debate even if it is contentious.”

Mr Noffs put the idea of Australia’s first ice safe room being created in Sydney’s south west in June.

His main motivation for wanting to create the space was so drug users had somewhere safe to use. He believes inhaling the drug is safer than injecting.

He believe the success at the Kings Cross injection room was proof the radical plan could work.

Studies backing up expert knowledge they get users into treatment sooner.

Holsworthy State MP Melanie Gibbons was opposed the idea from the beginning. She created a petition to block the idea ever coming to Liverpool.

At last count there were 500 signatures tabled with more on the way.

The Noffs Foundation is working closely with Harm Reduction Australia, NSW Users and AIDS Australia, Family Drug Support, Alex Wodak on this concept.

Mr Noffs also credits minister Pru Goward for her leadership in this field.

“She has been absolutely fantastic in making significant change in a short space of time,” he said.

TACKLING DRUGS

● Matt Noffs put the idea forward of Australia’s first ice safe room in July

● At a community forum, business owners said getting drug users out of hospital emergency departments was a good idea

● He is now in talks with the NSW Government with a compromised approach

● He wants to create an ice triage room to divert drug users away from hospital emergency departments. And he will form a committee to determine the best approach