Best Practice Guidelines to be launched for the Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing service

Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing is a flexible and person-centred wellbeing support service which supports people to identify and work on the challenges that are important to them. The Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing service is free and provided by seven mental health non-government organisations (NGOs), which specialise in providing community and peer support.

This walk-alongside community-based support service takes a preventative, early intervention approach. The Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing service broadens support to people experiencing challenges as well as those with a diagnosed mental health or addictions illness who are not under specialist care. Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing is designed as a brief intervention service for three months or less.

Currently 38 GP practices are providing access to the Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing service. In Auckland DHB it is also being piloted in three schools and can be accessed via other entry points such as the citizens advice bureau and libraries.

The supports available include navigation of social services, advocacy, peer support, coaching, support to develop plans, budgeting support and/or support with housing issues. Support can also be provided to improve community or whānau connection/s. Other supports offered include:

• Emotional health and mental wellbeing

• Social engagement

• Employment

• WINZ

• Long term disability

• Family/whānau issues

• Managing drug use, drinking or gambling.

The Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing Best Practice Guidelines were collaboratively developed with representation from Auckland and Waitemata District Health Boards, primary health care providers, and NGOs.

The Guidelines are based on the previous co-design work undertaken to create the Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing service and provide standard practices for the service delivery in general practice. Guideline topics include;

• Joining Awhi Ora - Supporting Wellbeing

• Introducing people to the service

• Onward introductions in the NGO support network

• Privacy and confidentiality

• Establishing successful feedback loops

• Management and mitigation of concerns

• Complaints process and escalation pathway

• Reporting and data collection.

The Best Practice Guidelines will be launched in late October 2018, for more information please contact Shona Muir (Improvement Project Manager, Auckland District Health Board).

Additional information on the Awhi Ora - Supporting wellbeing service can be found here.

Bev Monahan is the Waitemata DHB lead for Awhi Ora – Supporting Wellbeing. She is also the Service Manager, Mental Health Team and a Counselling Psychologist for Comprehensive Care PHO.