The AOD Service at NHW provides specialist care for people with a substance use disorder requiring medical care at NHW. This is a free service and is available to all patients who present to ED and through to admitted areas.
A Clinical Nurse Consultant can provide screening, assessment and recommendations for clinical management of patients who use substances, with a non-judgmental and health-led approach.
For ED presentations and hospital admissions requiring clinical assessment:
Phone: 0409 819 221
Monday to Friday – 8am to 4.30pm
Leave a message or send a text message for a return call, if outside these hours.
If you require AOD support and are not a patient at NHW, please call Directline on 1800 888 236.
NHW also provides a statewide, planned AOD withdrawal admission program for people requiring medically supervised withdrawal management prior to a residential rehabilitation admission. This is a free service and requires a referral from an AOD service provider.
For information about planned AOD withdrawal admissions:
Phone: 0439 439 606
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – 8am to 4.30pm
Leave a message or send a text message for a return call, if outside these hours.
Download information brochure here: Medically assisted detox
Needle & Syringe Program (NSP)
The NSP at NHW is a strategy for increasing needle and syringe availability to injecting drug users and minimising the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. The NSP operates as a harm minimisationstrategy under the state-wide centrally coordinated program.
The NSP at NHW is a registered NSP site providing free, confidential non-judgemental service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is located outside of our Emergency Department from a secure dispensing unit with sharps disposal bin.