Clean Slate Clinic: At-home Detox Service
Providing local withdrawal services for people across Western Queensland.
Providing local withdrawal services for people across Western Queensland.
Getting access to timely, tailored and safe detox services in Western Queensland, especially for those in employment, has presented a significant challenge, often deterring those seeking to take control of their relationship to alcohol and drugs. As part of a wider suite of alcohol and other drug capacity building, treatment and education services in Western Queensland, WQPHN undertook the initiative to trial the Clean Slate Clinic service in 2022.
In 2022-2023, Clean Slate Clinic received referrals from either clients themselves or through medical professionals, totaling 20 individuals. Following assessment, 13 clients initiated the program, with nine proceeding to detoxification and eight continuing onto aftercare services. All clients who underwent detox reported achieving their alcohol-related goals, accompanied by a noticeable reduction in measures of psychological distress. The trial report indicates that Clean Slate has already played an important role in supporting Western Queenslanders to improve their health and lives, and can reduce the need to leave the region to receive detox.
Clean Slate Clinic is designed to support better access and more choice for those wishing to safely reduce or cease their alcohol and other drug use. It offers a discreet at-home, private withdrawal (detox) option delivered by telehealth, supporting those living in remote and very remote parts of Western Queensland. By providing an alternative approach, Clean Slate Clinic empowers individuals to transform their relationship with alcohol and other substances without disrupting their professional, familial, or regional commitments.
Collaborating closely with the individual's General Practitioner (GP) throughout the detox and post-detox recovery phases, Clean Slate Clinic also actively engages GPs and other healthcare providers in detox management techniques. While acknowledging that Clean Slate Clinic may not be suitable for every individual requiring medically managed detox and support, emerging evidence suggests that it significantly improves access to essential detox care and support for those deemed suitable for the service.
Speak to your medical practitioner for a referral, or contact Clean Slate Clinic directly to self-refer.
Clean Slate clients reported 100% satisfaction of the services and one recorded that “the service from Dr Chris and Nurse Jenny was so amazing and supportive, I could not have done it without them” and another stated “it made detoxing for me easy. Without Clean Slate’s help I would not have detoxed at all”.
A well-regarded Longreach-based local alcohol and other drug Counsellor, Deb Christian (from Lives Lived Well) had this to say: “One of my main highlights was liaising with Dr Chris from Clean Slate about trying to get their service out our way and then finding out they had negotiated with WQPHN to fund some places. Some of my clients that used this service have had the best results and experiences, and was life-changing for them. The majority of them were working professionals who made use of the quicker detox, so it was a wonderful experience and a great outcome”.
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