Member News | Edition 9

Member Spotlight | Meg McKechnie, Bayside Health

Meg McKechnie is Senior Addictions Nurse Practitioner at Alfred Health (now Bayside Health). Meg began her nursing career determined to work in perioperative nursing only to find that her professional joy would come through her work as a mental health nurse and her introduction to AOD.

”When I first started out in nursing, there was a cool reciprocal relationship of secondment between my hospital and the local drug and alcohol service. We would send our CAT clinicians across to the drug and alcohol service for a three month secondment and then they would send us their drug and alcohol clinicians as a way to upskill between two specialist services.

Meg's work at Mercy Mental Health saw her increasingly start working in dual diagnosis, including in their homeless outreach service and mobile support teams. When a supervisor suggested she do a Masters of Addiction Studies, Meg’s fascination with AOD would only grow.  

“I love AOD policy, how we learn from the failures of the past and why we now work in the system that we do today. It's not like someone just thought up harm reduction and went that's a good idea. There's all this evidence around drug use and why we have models of care that we rely on today.”

While Meg loves patient focused care, she is keen to influence change that supports broader system impact.

“When I first started working at The Alfred, the idea of having sharps disposal containers in public toilets around the hospital was unheard of. Now we're trying to rewrite our entire stance on how we approach people with substance use disorders to embed harm reduction into what we do in tertiary health. It's been monumental. How much practice changes over time keeps me driven in this space.”

Some of the big changes Meg has seen over the last two decades is the level of polydrug use amongst people who use drugs. The other change is tolerance levels to particular types of drugs.

“I remember in the past working with a patient who was using like 6 or 7 mls of GHB a day. And we were incredibly anxious about that. Now in the patient populations we're seeing, you worry about people using in excess of 30 mls a day. GHB is a really good example of how drug use has changed over time and how much more complex it's becoming to support people today.”

Meg provides AOD clinical leadership at The Alfred with patients coming from all over Victoria to the hospital, as well as at Access Health in St Kilda.

“The clinic I work in (Access Health), is a one-of-a-kind. I'm very lucky that I work alongside clinicians who do whatever they can to help people find or get the treatment and support they need. I love my patients. I think they're fantastic. They're so resilient. They're still standing when most of us would not be.”

Meg is happy that the new Victorian AOD Strategy has a focus on community pharmacotherapy, harm reduction and trauma-informed care. However she has reservations, reflecting that it's going to take a lot more than a strategy to achieve the changes we need.

“My overarching concern always is about investing in early career training to increase the capacity of our AOD workforce. Until we do that, we’ll continue to struggle.”

Member update | SHARC

SHARC are excited to share that FIGJAM (Formerly Incarcerated Girls Justice Advocates Melbourne) is this year’s recipient of the 2026 Regina Brindle Grant.

FIGJAM is a collective of women, trans, and gender diverse people with lived experience of incarceration, many of whom have also been impacted by alcohol and other drug use and mental health challenges. Their work is grounded in peer support, advocacy, and amplifying lived experience voices.

Member update | ACSO

Good news! The abstract submission deadline for the Complex Needs Conference has been extended to 4 May 2026.

If you’re working to improve outcomes for people with complex needs, you can share your insights across practice, research, lived experience and youth streams. This year’s theme, Bridging Systems, focuses on designing more connected, responsive and safer pathways for those navigating the highest levels of complexity.

The Complex Needs Conference are looking for submissions that explore how they can connect the dots between mental health, justice, housing, and disability services to ensure no one falls through the cracks of a fragmented system.

Member update | Turning Point 

Member update | cohealth

cohealth’s submissions to the Independent Review into General Practice Services, reflect the perspectives of their clients, staff and community.

What We Heard captures feedback from surveys and engagement, highlighting how valued local, connected and trusted GP services are, especially for people with complex needs.

What We Shared outlines cohealth’s experience delivering specialist care and presents eight recommendations for reform, informed by client, clinician and staff insights.

Together, the submissions emphasise the need for sustainable funding, multidisciplinary care and supportive policy settings. They also highlight broader sector challenges, calling for coordinated, long-term reform and encouraging partners to advocate for change in policy discussions.

Member update | GV Health

A Shepparton News article highlights rising GHB use across the Goulburn Valley, raising concerns among local health services. Often seen as a “party drug,” GHB carries significant risks due to its potency and the small margin between use and overdose. GV Health’s Professor Ed Ogden warns it can quickly cause unconsciousness, respiratory depression and death, and notes its high potential for dependence and severe withdrawal.

Local services are reporting increased harms and are responding with assessment, counselling and withdrawal support. The article emphasises the need for greater community awareness, early intervention and accessible treatment to address this emerging issue.

Member Update | Uniting 

A recent story in The Age highlights the reality many people experience when seeking support for alcohol and other drug treatment: delays, barriers, and a system under pressure. When support isn’t available when it’s needed, the risks don’t pause. Timely access to treatment is critical.

Across Victoria, AOD services are working in a constrained system, managing demand, workforce pressures, and funding limitations while continuing to provide care in complex circumstances. Improving access to timely treatment isn’t just about increasing capacity, it’s about designing a system that can respond when people need it.

These are not isolated stories, and they reflect the broader challenges the sector continues to navigate.

Image: The Age Article, Uniting's Emma Hooper, Senior Manager, and Nathan Farley, Harm Reduction Clinician

Member Update | WRAD Health

Alister brings more than 18 years of senior leadership experience across community and Aboriginal organisations, government and international settings and starts at WRAD Health on April 27.

Alister’s senior leadership roles, including CEO positions both in Australia and internationally, have built experience in strategic planning, financial stewardship, program development and stakeholder engagement.

He says he is drawn to organisations that deliver meaningful outcomes for communities and is motivated by the opportunity to work with a committed team to strengthen services and continue to support the community.

Welcome Alister Stevic to WRAD Health!

Member Update | St Mary's House of Welcome

Member Update | Jesuit Social Services

Following the Royal Commission into Victoria’s mental health system, the Department of Health established eight Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centres to better support families, carers, and supporters.

Jesuit Social Services was uniquely contracted outside the traditional healthcare system and adopted an integrated workforce model. Researchers from RMIT University examined this approach in 2024–2025.

Findings showed overwhelmingly positive experiences, with participants valuing the welcoming, non-clinical environment and opportunities to connect with others who share lived experience. These connections provided practical and emotional support, while staff felt recognised and valued.

The centre’s co-design with people who have lived experience highlights the importance of lived experience in designing and delivering services that meet the needs of participants.

Member update | HACSU

Sunday 12 April marked HACSU’s 115th birthday, an incredible milestone that could only have been achieved with the support and dedication of all their members.

HACSU has had many names over the past century, and gone through many expansions that have allowed the union to grow. Now, with over 13,500 members – they have a long history of advocating for our sectors.

The staff at HACSU, want to wish all their members a very happy HACSU Birthday!

Events Calendar and Jobs Board

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