Wyndham council is developing an action plan to reduce the harm ice is causing in the community.
State government funding of $4900 will be used to assist the council and drug and alcohol treatment organisation Odyssey House to hold two forums to develop the ice action plan.
Werribee Mercy Hospital dual diagnosis nurse Marcelle Sinclair said there had been “a change in the production and purity” of ice available on the streets in recent months.
Ms Sinclair said this had “increased the number and severity of adverse reactions” in patients admitted to the hospital.
She said that it was important for people to know that harmful substances could be used in the creation of illegal drugs – with ingredients such as pseudoephedrine, ammonium nitrate fertiliser, starting fluid, lithium batteries, lye, water, iodised salt and drain cleaner sometimes added into the mix.
“The user has no way of knowing what they are buying or consuming,” she said.
Council city life director Jenny McMahon said the forums would bring together service providers, peak bodies and industry experts to “explore ways to increase connections between the community and services, to improve existing referral systems and increase the information that is currently available to the community.”
“With a rapidly growing community and increasing demands on services in Wyndham, this project aims to build on existing support services,” Ms McMahon said.
Werribee MP Tim Pallas, Altona MP Jill Hennessy and Tarneit MP Telmo Languiller announced the funding for the action plan last week.
The council hopes to host the forums early next year.
Ms Sinclair said Werribee Mercy ran an Alcohol and Other Drug Emergency Department (AOD ED) program, which aimed to improve the rates of identification, screening and assessment for patients presenting with AOD-related issues.
“The Werribee Mercy Hospital AOD ED program receives approximately 50 new referrals each month for further assessment,” she said.
