About us
Synergy Wellness is a mental health needs assessment and service co-ordination service (NASC). We work with people experiencing disability as a result of a significant mental health issue, for which there is treatment provided by a suitably qualified practitioner working in a Te Whatu Ora secondary specialist mental health service.
These services include:
- Adult community mental health teams (CMHT)
- Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (EIPS)
- Forensic Service
- Youth Specialty Service (YSS)
- Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Service (CAFMHS)
- Childrens Outpatients
- Specialist Addictions Service (SAS)
- Psychiatric inpatient units at Wakari Hospital
Primary care providers such as GP, HIPs, Health coaches, WellSouth Brief Intervention, Family Mental Health Service, child and youth mild to moderate mental health services, and other counselling services are generally not included, however feel free to discuss particular circumstances if you believe there is a case for needs assessment.
Synergy Wellness does not provide treatment for mental health or any other disorders.
Synergy Wellness is contracted by the Southern District Health Board to provide services to people in Dunedin, and North and South Otago. Each service user (and their family/whanau) has a Synergy Wellness key worker, who works alongside them on their journey to wellbeing.
Mental health issues can affect people of any age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic background; Synergy Wellness caters to all.
Eligibility
For people having significant difficulties with everyday tasks and activities because of a mental health disorder, Synergy Wellness may be to help find the right support. See resources for full eligibility criteria. Highlights are:
There is a diagnosis of psychiatric illness or alcohol and drug related illness:
1. Made by a suitably qualified health practitioner
2. The diagnosis is still current
3. There is an identified clinician, treatment is in place and continuing
There are reductions in independent function requiring support, that result from psychiatric illness or misuse of drugs or alcohol:
1. Which are expected to go on for six months or longer
2. Which are serious and significant enough to need formal supports
3. There are barriers to participation in everyday normal social cultural, vocational or recreational activities.
Referral
Synergy Wellness will take a referral from any source, as long as eligibility criteria are met. Commonly referrals come from:
• Southern DHB clinical services
• NGO mental health services
• Other social service agencies
• Self referrals
There is information we need, such as details of the diagnosis and treatment, and the effect of illness symptoms on daily life, and this information is generally held by clinical services. It is the responsibility of the referrer to source this information from clinicians, but we are here to help if needed. See resources to download our referral form.
Communication
We like to take a team approach when it comes to your support, so we often need to talk to others involved in your treatment and support. This includes family, whanau and friends (whoever you think is important) and treatment and support providers. It can be difficult for us to do the best for you if we aren’t able to communicate with these people (see ‘What happens to your information?’ for more details).
Your rights
You have certain rights as a Synergy Wellness service user. These are outlined in the HDC Code of Rights. In short, our staff should treat you with dignity and respect in a professional manner, give you enough information to make informed decisions, involve you in all aspects of our work, and look after your personal information and privacy.
We can put you in contact with a HDC advocate if you would like independent advice or advocacy. Alternatively, you can phone the Health and Disability advocates on 4790265 or 0800 377766.
Your information
• Synergy Wellness is subject to the Privacy Act 1993 This means we keep any information about you confidential, and only share your information with you permission.
• We usually need to talk to others involved in your care to clarify aspects of your treatment and needs, and we pass on information about you with any referrals to support services. We will ask you to sign a consent form authorising us to share relevant information with others.
• As per the Privacy Act, there are provisions regarding risk and safety where we can release information about you without your express permission.
Our services
We will try as hard as possible to find supports that meet your needs, but this may not always be possible. We highlight any unmet needs with the Southern District Health Board Mental Health, Addictions and Intellectual Disability Directorate.
Our friendly, professional staff will meet with you in your home or where ever you feel comfortable. What we ask from you is to work alongside us to get the best outcome for you, and tell us if your circumstances change, for example if you move or if your mental health changes.
Needs Assessment
• This is the stage we gather information from you and others involved (such as family/whanau, health professionals) in order to understand your situation and help you figure out what support you need. We will write a report that summarises your strengths and challenges, aspirations and needs.
• You are welcome to have a support person present during the assessment if you wish.
Service co-ordination
• This involves discussing support options with you, making suggestions about what might be helpful, and making referrals to support services of your choice that match the needs we identify.
• We recognise you will have your own strengths and resources, such as the support of family and friends, interests and hobbies. These can be utilised to contribute to your wellbeing.
• We can arrange government funded supports from a range of services for you – these include community
support, household management, personal care, carer support, planned respite and supported accommodation; depending on what you need.
• We will keep working on your support package until you are happy with it.
• Once supports have been set up we will do regular reviews to monitor how the services are working, and make any changes needed.
Follow up
• Synergy Wellness will keep working with you for as long as you need; there is no set timeframe.
• Your key worker will undertake a service co-ordination review with you every six months at the latest. It may be sooner, depending on the need. We want to hear from you if your supports need changed at any time.
• Your key worker will update you needs assessment every two years. It may be sooner if your circumstances change significantly.
Feedback
Synergy Wellness would like to hear from you if:
• You have had a positive experience working with our staff. It’s always good to pass on compliments to staff.
• You are not happy about any aspect of your interactions with Synergy Wellness. There is a formal complaints policy and process that can be made available to you on your request.
• You disagree about a decision we have made, for example about an allocation of resources. (There is a review policy for such instances, which is available upon request).
• If any aspect of your support package is not working for you.
Contact us by phone or email, or use the feedback form.