Balance E-Newsletter Vol 4 Autumn Edition

Acknowledgement to Country

We acknowledge the First Nations, Traditional Owners, the Kalkadoon people, of this land on which we meet and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge, and stories. We pay respect to their Elders past, present, and emerging.

We also extend that respect to First Nations Peoples from Mitakoodi, Pitta Pitta, Marmanya, Indjalandji-Dhidhanu, Mayi, Yulluna, Kurtijar, Kukatj, Gkuthaarn, Gangalidda & Garawa, Waanyi, Lardil, Kaiadilt, and Yangkaal.

We acknowledge our gratitude that we share these lands, waters, and sky today, our sorrow for the costs of that sharing, and our hope and belief we can move to a place of equity, justice, and partnership together.

Vision, Purpose, Values

Our Vision

To lead the delivery of safe, sustainable healthcare in our unique region with our diverse partners and communities.

Our Purpose

Partner with our communities to improve health outcomes by delivering valued, high-quality and sustainable health services that are close to home.

Our Values

Our values will guide our decision making and actions as we commit to respecting, protecting, and promoting human rights in our decision making and actions. These values include Innovation, Respect, Engagement, Accountability, Caring, and Honesty.

From

Staff

Two

Staff Recognition

Consumers

Consumer Representative Orientation Handbook

North West HHS Consumer Engagement

Consumer Advisory Groups

Outreach Services

From the Consumer Liaison Officer

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health

Doomadgee Cultural Immersion Program

History

NWHHS Balance From the Board Chair

Cheryl Vardon

Dear North West,

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year in the North West as we welcome cooler weather and a reprieve from the heat The extremes of mother nature however were evident over the summer months as seen with the unprecedented flooding endured by many of our communities.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank our wonderful staff who displayed such resilience and bravery during this time while continuing to provide high-quality healthcare I would also like to extend my appreciation to A/Health Service Chief Executive Sean Birgan who led the disaster management effort and ensured staff and patients remained safe

The Board has been busy since the last edition and has enjoyed continuing to build relationships with staff and stakeholders Some highlights include:

Working closely with North West Queensland Region of Councils, Better Health Queensland and the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre

Travelling to Cloncurry to meet Mayor Cr Greg Campbell and visit the Cloncurry Hospital

Strengthening the relationship with Townsville Hospital and Health Service and exploring ways we can build this to improve access to services

Meeting the Family Advocacy Unit and learning about the vital work they do

Spending time in Mount Isa with our Executive Leadership Team, discussing our mutual commitment to safe, quality care and identifying improvement opportunities

One value that guides the health service's decision-making and actions is 'innovation', and I believe our staff and Executive excel in this area One example of this innovative thinking is the Midwifery Virtual Reality Program While in Mount Isa, the Board participated in an interactive experience with this new technology that will provide education via headsets to the remote facilities. We learned the applications for this technology are endless, especially in the context of our remotes, and the possibilities are inspiring

Innovated thinking will remain a focus for the Board and Executive Leadership Teams as we move into a strategic planning project to reset our expectations and create a shared strategic narrative through engagement and consultation We plan on being both ambitious and pragmatic as we continue partnering with communities to improve health outcomes by delivering valued, high-quality, sustainable health services across our region

The publication of the NWHHS Health Equity Strategy, released in 2022, is a wonderful example of partnership and I am pleased the development of the Health Equity Implementation Plan is underway

Delivering healthcare in a unique rural and remote setting has its challenges and I thank all staff for your continued passion and commitment to supporting our communities

Cheryl

NWHHS Balance

From the Acting Health Service Chief Executive

Sean Birgan

I am pleased to share the Autumn edition of the Balance magazine with you Inside this publication, insights into the first quarter of 2023 at North West HHS are shared, with community activities, staff achievements and general updates about healthcare in the North West region highlighted.

The Building Rural and Remote Health Program is a Palaszczuk Government initiative established to improve infrastructure critical to the delivery of health services in rural and remote communities. An exciting announcement has been made that Normanton Hospital, Camooweal Health Centre and Doomadgee Hospital will be replaced as part of this program The current facilities have served the communities well, but they are ageing and in need of replacement. We are looking forward to this project unfolding and know it will be of great benefit to staff and patients in these communities

Earlier this year we welcomed new intern doctors and graduate nurses and midwives starting their careers in the North West. It is promising to see the number of interns and graduates applying to live and work rurally and know that the unique opportunities and challenges in the region will build a solid foundation for them as they move forward in their careers

The Health Equity Strategy was officially launched in October 2022 and aims to improve health outcomes and ensure life expectancy parity by 2031 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples The Strategy is now moving into the implementation phase with collaborative consultations occurring with other stakeholders to confirm the priorities for the implementation plan over the next three years We look forward to sharing more information as the plan progresses.

I would like to take this time to acknowledge our communities who were impacted by the flooding during this year's wet season A collaborative approach with organisations across the region allowed for supply drops, evacuations where necessary and ensured the safety of those affected. I would also like to acknowledge the North West HHS staff who went above and beyond across our health facilities and stayed in the communities to ensure continuity of care for patients It is through these great challenges that the commitment and resilience of those in the North West shines through

Regards, Sean

Special guest Pattie Lees joins IWD celebrations

International Women's Day was celebrated on 8 March 2023, and North West HHS were fortunate to have Pattie Lees AM join us as a special guest and speaker.

Pattie is the author of 'A Question of Colour; my journey to belonging' where she shares her story as a survivor of the Stolen Generation. Pattie shared a brief insight into her life journey with staff at the morning tea and is an incredible role

model and inspiration for not only women, but all people.

We also heard from current staff member, Lila Pigliafiori who shared her story of the remarkable women who paved the way before her, to allow her the opportunities she has today.

With 81.26% of the North West HHS workforce being women, it was important to take the time to acknowledge the roles women play in delivering healthcare to rural and remote communities.

Waterbirth options for Mount Isa mums

Women living in the North West will no longer will have to travel out of the region if they want to have a waterbirth.

With staff now trained for water birthing at Mount Isa Hospital, birthing pools are open and available for pregnant mums.

North West Hospital and Health Service acting Chief Executive Sean Birgan said it was an exciting time for local families who previously needed to travel out of the region to access water birthing facilities.

With more than 400 babies born at Mount Isa Hospital every year, Mr Birgan said it was fantastic to see more birthing options available.

“The local community told us they wanted access to water birthing, and we are thrilled to now provide local mums with this option,” Mr Birgan said.

“We want to give mums-to-be more choice and now they can choose water birthing at Mount Isa Hospital, close to home and close to their loved ones.”

First time mum Liana Bryant wasn’t intending on having a waterbirth, but when the opportunity presented, she decided to try it, and it helped her avoid using pain medication. She is now the sixth mother to experience water birthing at the hospital.

“I was at the stage where I was seeking additional pain relief but decided to try the pool first and as soon as I got in, I just felt instant relief,” Ms Bryant said.

Her son Dawson was born in the pool a few hours later and Ms Bryant said she was thrilled with her birthing choice.

“It was such a serene and calming experience, and I would recommend to mothers that they discuss the option of birthing in water at an early stage in their pregnancy so that the option is in your birthing toolbox.”

For more information on water birthing in Mount Isa, please call Maternity on 07 4744 4496 or Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) service on 07 4764 0880.

"I was at the stage where I was seeking additional pain relief, but decided to try the pool first and as soon as I got in, I just felt instant relief."

LianaandSamwiththeirfirstchild Dawson,borninthewater

New health facilities for North West communities

The Palaszczuk Government’s Building Rural and Remote Health Program is an initiative established to improve infrastructure critical to the delivery of health services in rural and remote communities.

Normanton Hospital, Camooweal Health Centre and Doomadgee Hospital are the health facilities in the region that will be replaced. The existing facilities have served the communities well, but they are ageing and in need of replacement.

Members of the North West HHS Executive Leadership Team visited

Normanton and Camooweal to share the initial plans with staff and community members. Feedback was provided on the plans and marked another step in the planning process.

These new replacement facilities are very welcomed in the North West and will improve both the staff and patient experience across our rural and remote areas.

We look forward to keeping you updated as things progress with these exciting capital projects.

About the Building R and Remote Health Program

Queensland hospitals will undergo the biggest expansion program ever seen in a State Budget focused squarely on health.

The Palaszczuk Government has delivered the largest investment in new hospitals and new beds in Queensland’s history, with the 2022-23 State Budget providing additional funding of $9.78 billion over six years.

The replacement of the Camooweal Health Centre is part of the $104 million Phase 1 of the Building Rural and Remote Health Program.

The replacement of the Normanton Hospital is part of the $943.5 million Phase 2 of the Building Rural and Remote Health Program.

A further announcement in January 2023 shared that the Doomadgee Hospital will also be replaced under the initiative.

City of Mount Isa

celebrates 100 years!

Mount Isa recently celebrated 100 years and held an event in the CBD to recognise the occasion.

The Mental Health and ATODS team attended the event and hosted a stall where they did wellbeing checks and also handed out free snow cones.

The team also chatted with the local community about what happiness means to them in recognition of this year's International Day of Happiness.

If you haven't had a chance to view the video, head to the North West HHS Facebook page where you may just see yourself!

The Mental Health and ATODS team provides support and management to members of the community. Specialised ATODS treatment services aim to provide people with a range of accessible clientfocused and evidence based ATODS interventions to reduce harms to individuals, families and the community.

Phototherapy donation for newborns

The Special Care Nursery at Mount Isa Hospital recently received a Bilisoft LED Phototherapy system valued at $9,990 that will see newborn babies suffering from jaundice treated more effectively and return home sooner.

The Humpty Dumpty Foundation and Coates Foundation donated the muchneeded piece of medical equipment.

Mount Isa Branch Manager at Coates Tane Iwikau said it was great to see the equipment making a difference in the local community.

“It’s wonderful to see firsthand the equipment in the nursery already being used by babies needing to be treated for jaundice,” he said.

“Coates are proud to support the Mount Isa community and hope this donation continues to help keep our local families together, close to home while their babies receive treatment.”

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Jo La Spina said the donation was very welcomed.

“Having this piece of equipment means we can treat babies with jaundice more effectively and hopefully get them home as soon as possible,” she said.

Jaundice, detected as a yellowing of the skin and eyes, occurs in 50% of full-term babies and 80% of pre-term babies in the first week of life. Without prompt treatment, jaundice can cause long-term issues.

New graduates start at

Mount Isa Hospital

The North West HHS workforce has been boosted in 2023 with five new intern doctors and 18 graduate program nurses and midwives starting their careers.

North West HHS Acting Chief Executive Sean Birgan said it was promising to see the number of interns and graduates applying to live and work rurally.

“We are very excited to welcome these new intern doctors and graduate nurses who will have opportunities unique to the North West,” Mr Birgan said.

“North West HHS has a reputation for being a challenging and rewarding training facility and these staff will reap the rewards of choosing our health service to support them as they progress their careers.”

The new cohort of graduate nurses and midwives

Mr Birgan said the 2023 group would play an incredibly important role in the local community.

“As we continue to live with COVID-19 and manage the general healthcare of our communities, we know how essential it is to ensure our workforce remains strong to best take care of our vulnerable population.”

Of the five medical interns, four have been studying at James Cook University in Townsville and one has been studying at the University of Melbourne. All five are on the Rural Generalist Pathway, which gives junior medical officers the opportunity to become a Rural Generalist and explore a variety of clinical training and develop the advanced skillset needed to support the health needs of rural communities.

The new nurse graduates will be allocated to duties in medical ward, surgical ward, cancer care, emergency department, maternity, special care nursery, outpatient department, as well as Cloncurry Multipurpose Health Service and Normanton Hospital, with rotation to a different work area every six months.

These nurses will learn on the job and translate the skills they’ve learnt at university into better outcomes for patients in some of our most remote communities.

Two years of Hospital in the Home services

On 1 March 2023, North West HHS recognised and celebrated the Hospital in the Home (HITH) service operating for two years in the region.

The HITH program continues to provide huge benefits to the local community by freeing up hospital beds, treating patients in the comfort of their own home and improving patient recovery times.

The initial 10-week pilot program that started in 2021 has shifted into an ongoing model of care successfully

treating patients at home for conditions requiring low level medical and nursing intervention.

Since starting the program two years ago, more than 300 patients have engaged with the service. This reflects the wonderful work the HITH team do to ensure patients in our communities receive the best care possible.

Congratulations and a big thank you to the HITH team who make this important service available for our community!

World Hearing Day Visitors enjoy interactive display

In celebration of World Hearing Day, staff and visitors enjoyed an interactive display where they were able to sit down with Audiology Assistant Terene Madden to participate in video otoscopy, where an image of what's inside your ear is shown and get tymp tests, a middle ear test that shows either a healthy middle ear, fluid or blockage behind the eardrums.

North West HHS has been offering audiology clinics to Mount Isa residents for 12 years and have been running teleaudiology clinics for more than two years now!

The health service works closely with the Healthy Hearing team in Brisbane to do newborn hearing screening assessments via tele-audiology and also performs diagnostic hearing assessments via teleaudiology with the Townsville University Hospital.

Providing these services locally limits the travel families and individuals need to do to get a hearing assessment performed.

Contact the Audiology Department on 4744 4447 if you would like to book an appointment.

Advance Care Planning

Make your future healthcare preferences known, regardless of your age or health status

It helps to ensure you receive the care you actually want

It improves ongoing and endof-life care, along with personal and family satisfaction

Families of people who have undertaken advance care planning have less anxiety, depression, stress and are more satisfied with care

For healthcare professionals and organisations, it reduces unnecessary transfers to acute care and unwanted treatment

Staff Spotlight Supporting her local community

Brandii has recently started as an Assistant in Midwifery at the Mount Isa Hospital - the first position of its kind within our health service! Brandii has been taking observations for women during antenatal appointments, supporting mums and bubs after birth with showering or breastfeeding and helping out wherever she is needed.

Brandii has recently been accepted to study a Bachelor of Midwifery with goals

to successfully complete her degree and support her beloved Mount Isa, Cloncurry and surrounding communities.

"To be doing this in my hometown and my community feels really special. I am so proud to be a woman and share these intimate moments with new families and work as part of a really amazing team who share the same passion," she said.

"I'm looking forward to continuing to listen to our community and provide a supportive and accessible service to our mob living rurally."

Speech pathologists Sally and Paige recently shed light on dysphagia, a diagnosis that affects more than one million Australians

The Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) team work closely with community partners to provide support and management for patients with RHD

The Special Care Nursery has two new bottle warmers thanks to the Woolworths Easter Appeal and Children's Hospital Foundation

Nurses celebrate

Our nurses celebrated completing their first year of work with us at North West HHS

Swallow Awareness Day

Special Care Nursery

RHD Team

Consumers

Consumer Representative

Orientation Handbook

We are pleased to announce that a new North West HHS Consumer Representative Handbook has now been developed.

The contents of this booklet are intended to guide our consumers into their role in the North West HHS Region. While it is to help the consumer, it is also dependent on consumers themselves for an evaluation of its helpfulness.

It is continually open to review and the Partnering with Consumers Committee would greatly appreciate your comments, positive and negative, that can help to improve the booklet and the pathway into the health consumer role.

In the development of this handbook many health consumer representatives across the North West HHS region have collaborated.

What is a Consumer Representative?

They are people who currently use our health services (patients, consumers and their carers and families) and community members who may need to in the future.

Areas where our consumer representatives often help us include:

developing patient information, such as brochures planning improvements and changes in how we provide services being part of our discussions on quality, safety and patient experience helping with staff and volunteer training and recruitment

Consumer representatives are important to us in keeping the perspective of the patient and their carer and family central to what we do and helping us to see things from a different perspective. We need to know what is important to our community in order to help make North West HHS a health service that meets your needs.

How to use this handbook?

This handbook will be made available to our existing consumers within committees, working groups or projects, to help support their consumer journey. We hope that this handbook is a helpful resource that contributes to a positive consumer partnership between our consumers and our health service.

VIEW THE BOOK

North West HHS

Consumer Engagement

Within the North West Hospital and Health Service (HHS) governance system, there are established forums for consumer participation and engagement.

These include focus groups and community representation on hospital committees. We use this valuable information to assist us to plan for the future, design our services and also improve our care delivery processes.

North West HHS values consumer participation and patient representatives to provide us with leadership and advice on our care and services, a review process for patient information and design of our service. Each facility has a number of ways that consumers can become involved. To

obtain further information, please visit the website or contact us by emailing nwhhs.engagement@health.qld.gov.au.

We value the contribution made by members of our community towards the delivery of person-centred care and we recognise the importance of community engagement when it comes to delivering high quality treatment and care throughout our communities. Our desire to achieve this has been encouraged by the development of, and our requirement to comply with, the Partnering with Consumers criteria of the National Safety and Quality Health Care Service Standards.

Jasmine Barber Manager Public Relations

Karumba Consumer Advisory Group meeting with community members in February 2023

Consumer Advisory Groups

As part of our commitment to Consumer Engagement, North West HHS has engaged the services of voluntary community members to several advisory groups to work with the health service in achieving our objectives.

The Consumer Advisory Groups meet quarterly and is made up of community members from their local community, other healthcare providers and North West HHS executive and management team members.

The purpose of the Consumer Advisory Groups is to assist and advise the Executive team in relation to existing and

emerging healthcare trends and services, together with patient information and protocols, and make recommendations from a consumer perspective.

Currently there are Consumer Advisory Groups in Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Julia Creek, Normanton, Karumba, and Burketown. There are Health Councils in Doomadgee and Mornington Island.

If you would like to join a Consumer Advisory Group, or would like more information on consumer partnerships at North West HHS, please contact us at nwhhs.engagement@health.qld.gov.au or visit the website. JOIN

Outreach Services

Interested to know when outreach services will be visiting your community? Visit the dedicated Outreach Service page on the North West HHS website to stay up to date.

From the Consumer Liaison Officer

We continue to welcome feedback from patients, their families and staff who have visited facilities across the North West.

There are a number of feedback forms that are now available to complete on the North West HHS website. Patients who have had experiences in these areas are encouraged to leave their feedback.

Visit the North West HHS website to leave your feedback.

Consumer Compliment

"I was seen very quickly. The nurse and doctor I saw were respectful, put me at ease and made me laugh despite my difficult situation. Treatment was very clear and I'm thankful for the care received."

Leave your feedback by scanning the QR code

Natasha Dew

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

Doomadgee Cultural Immersion Program

North West HHS has been working to provide an increase in opportunities and activities to support staff in their cultural responsiveness across our facilities.

North West HHS has become more proactive in ensuring staff are culturally inducted including participation in Doomadgee Shire Council’s Cross-Cultural Awareness Program that sets the agenda for cross-cultural awareness and community protocols relating to service delivery in Doomadgee, and also by supporting a cultural immersion program provided by a member of the Doomadgee Health Council that has been endorsed by the Shire Council.

The most recent immersion program occurred on 14 February 2023, and was attended by North West HHS Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Christine Mann, Chief Executive Officer Gidgee Healing, Director Corporate Services Gidgee Healing, Officer in Charge Doomadgee Queensland Ambulance Service, NWHHS Cardiac Generalist Clinical Nurse, and five North West Remote Allied Health Clinicians (podiatrist, occupational therapists, speech pathologist, and exercise physiologist).

We look forward to seeing more staff participate in these important programs.

"I look forward to the future with hope, optimism and purpose as we seek to have more First Nations people in the health system; as we strengthen the voices of First Nations people in the health system; and as we improve the cultural capability, coordination and integration of health care in our region.

Christine Mann Executive Director Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Health

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

History of the Health Worker Project

North West HHS health workers highlighted for project

In March, North West HHS hosted Raelene Baker and Sharon McDonald who are winding up their visits across all hospital and health services undertaking the ‘History of Health Worker: 1970 to present’ project.

The project profiles, documents, and showcases the unique role, contribution, and cultural leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers across the system from 1970 to present.

At the end of the project, in June 2023, the following items will have been developed:

a historical timeline/calendar an Insights Paper containing a series of one page personal/professional stories of current or retired health workers across the eras from 1970 to present and a video collating stories and snippets of health workers on film.

Goals of the First Nations

Health Equity reform agenda include:

Health Equity Implementation Plan

In March, North West HHS participated in a joint implementation plan working group with Gidgee Healing

The North West HHS Executive Team alongside Gidgee Healing's leadership team met to confirm the priorities for the implementation plan over the next three years and prioritise actions that will be focused on in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3

More information will be shared as the plan progresses.

VIEW THE HEALTH EQUITY STRATEGY

Actively eliminate racial discrimination and institutional racism

Increasing access to healthcare services

Influencing the social, cultural and economic determinants of health

Delivering sustainable, culturally safe and responsive healthcare service

Work with First Nations people, communities and organisations to design, deliver, monitor and review health services

NWHHS Balance Facilities

Spotlight on Doomadgee

Covering an area of 186,300 hectares, Doomadgee is located on the Nicholson River in the far north-western corner of Queensland, near the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The Waanyi and Gangalidda people are recognised as the Traditional Custodians for the area, which is a Deed of Grant in Trust community, governed by the Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 93.7 per cent of the population of approximately 1,400 people.

Doomadgee Hospital is a Level 2 remote hospital under the Rural and Remote Clinical Services Capability Framework. The facility provides 24-hour acute inpatient and accident and emergency care.

Culturally appropriate care provided by Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander health worker nursing, medical, administration and operational staff

Doomadgee Community Health Centre is staffed by nurses and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers The team work in partnership with hospital staff and other agencies to provide health assessments, chronic disease management and coordination of visiting services. The model of care includes clinical review, health education and promotion programs.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Tips Staying healthy as a shift worker

Many members of the North West community are shift workers. It's important for shift workers to prioritise their wellbeing and do what they can to stay healthy.

Here are some tips to staying healthy:

Getting enough quality sleep is of major importance. Minor exposure to bright sunlight can make it hard to sleep, so your room should be as dark as possible, or you can try using a sleep mask.

Avoid using devices with a screen in the hour before sleep.

If you work night shift, it may be helpful to travel home in the morning with sunglasses on to reduce your exposure to bright daylight.

Try to eat well and get regular exercise. This can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Taking your own meals to work can help you eat less unhealthy food.

Get a regular health check and let your GP know you are a shift worker. They can keep an eye on your health and, if necessary, test you for risk factors such as raised blood sugar levels.

Easter recipe

Marshmallow Bunnies

While it's not an everyday food, if you are looking for an easy and delicious treat to make this Easter, try these marshmallow bunnies!

You will need 1 set of plastic Easter bunny moulds (if making bunnies) or 1 baking pan with high sides if not making bunnies (6 inch x 10 inch).

Ingredients

½ cup (120 mls) cold water

1½ tablespoons powdered gelatine

¾ cup (180 mls) hot water

1½ cups (300 grams) granulated white

sugar

pinch salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

Put cold water in bowl Gradually stir in powdered gelatine; let stand 5 minutes

Put hot water, sugar and salt into large saucepan Be sure to use a fairly large saucepan because as it boils it will come up the sides quite quickly so watch it carefully

Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved.

Add gelatine mixture, stir over low heat until gelatine has dissolved

Bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer gently uncovered Simmer for 9 minutes from the time the mixture first starts to boil

Remove pan from heat, let cool to lukewarm

Put mixture into bowl of electric mixer, add vanilla.

Beat on high speed 5 minutes or until thick and creamy It may take longer if it is still a bit warm.

To make Marshmallow Bunnies

Mix through food colouring if making colourful bunnies or leave plain Lightly spray or wipe mould with oil

Fill bunny moulds (recipe should fill one large, one medium and one small bunny) Set the marshmallow in the fridge

The bunnies will remove easily by pulling marshmallow away from sides of mould with damp fingers

Don't panic if there are air bubbles on your marshmallow, a bit of food colour and a ton of coconut will hide everything.

Roll your bunnies in coconut if desired

You are not alone.

Support is available.

If you feel overwhelmed, talk to a health professional. Speak to your GP about what support you need and how you can access it.

Lifeline's 13 11 14 crisis support service is available 24/7. Anyone in Australia can speak to a trained Crisis Supporter over the phone, any time of the day or night.