Yesterday was the launch of Project Synergy. Synergy is a new e-mental health ecosystem of care for Australia’s young people, incorporating complimentary Young and Well CRC products, certified apps and web based interventions aimed to enable young people to connect with digital data about them captured through different apps and services, and use this information to manage their own wellbeing and mental health. In this way the project aimed to provide a stepped model of care, promote self-agency and reduce stigma. Australia leads the world in the provision of youth mental health services and community support, with models developed by ReachOut Australia, headspace, Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC) and beyondblue South Coast resident Greg Franklin was asked to join the Lived Experience Board, a new board, the agency delivering a world first in consumer led health care solutions.
Above: Greg Franklin
This is a major personal achievement considering Greg is very well known as being vocal and critical on some government policies and that there were Of hundreds of applicants as well with the selection panel including Greg Hunt. Greg has been tireless in his campaigning to State and Federal members regarding the anomalies that exist in the NDIS rollout that sees many needlessly falling through the cracks through nothing other than bureaucratic single-mindedness. Greg told the Beagle "Project Synergy is not going bring overnight change and fix all our issues. It will not see a sudden change in NDIS, removal of DSP reapplication, Robo Debt, and all the the other social Determinants of Health that have a political base. "But it is good news, and very important, in that it is the first time in Australia, and possibly the world, where all outcomes have to have to have the approval of the Lived experience board, and be tested by end users before being released to the public. "In other words., you, the actual consumer, patient, end user, whatever you like to call yourself are the most important part of the decision making process. "Jackie Crowe, NMH Commissioner has worked tirelessly to get this "toehold". Following is a link to webcast by Malcolm Turnbull and Ian Hickie on the launch yesterday, that details what Project Synergy is about. Project Synergy is a small but extremely important first step to consumer led health care in Australia." Professor Ian Hickie from the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney and Dr Jane Burns are undertaking through synergy, using the smartphone that everyone lives with, as the means of enabling people who have mental health issues, or fear they may or are feeling unwell or unsettled, can get help immediately. Just talk about that, talk about how you’re using technology to ensure that more Australians get the help they need, sooner. In a Facebook Live interview with the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on 12 October 2017 Professor Ian Hickie offered: Many people wouldn’t choose to use the services of their ordinary GP or young people, or veterans as we were just discussing, or as they age. They want to be in control of that. They want to access the right care in specialised ways. In ways that respond to their needs when they choose. The way we all do now, with banking and airlines and industry, in music, in videos. We’re used to that. It hasn’t happened in health, so we believe that technology now provides the capacity for you to put information in, tell us what your needs are, to start accessing that care online from actually anywhere in the world. The apps, the technologies, from anywhere thin the world but then to link with the services in your community. If you’re in Broken Hill in Australia, or you’re in Far North Queensland or you’re in rural Victoria, how can that come together in a meaningful, engaged - to borrow from Jane - ecosystem of technologies and local services to have that. We think that’s the possibility. So we’re really glad with your background in technology, to understand the personalisation. To understand the capacity in rural and regional Australia, to bring real expertise directly to you when you choose, under your control, with your needs. So the project synergy process, supported by your Government and your 2016 election commitment, gives us now, that capacity.
