Orange's Lynette Bullen named Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs' clinician of the year

Ms Bullen was this month named the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs clinician of the year at an online ceremony. She was nominated for the honour by mentor, Associate Professor Kylie Lee, Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Health and Alcohol.

It's a long way from where Ms Bullen started her career, as a mother craft nurse at a Sydney women's drug and alcohol unit.

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"It's an area I never thought I would work in, drug and alcohol. It was just totally foreign to me but I've been there ever since, about 27 years," she said.

In her role with NSW Health, Ms Bullen has covered vast areas of western NSW while working in the drug and alcohol field which eventually led to the opportunity for research.

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"I work with people right across NSW, experiencing drug and alcohol issues, people that need a bit more support and help to get them back on track," she said.

"The research is looking at the factors that influence drug and alcohol clinicians when referring to involuntary drug and alcohol treatment for aboriginal clients."

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After two and a half years' work, Ms Bullen is now hoping to have her research published.

"It's great to have a peer-reviewed research article although we don't know yet whether or not they've accepted it."

Following her stint in Sydney, Ms Bullen moved back home to Orange to work with a detox unit before moving back to NSW Health 11 years later.

"I've worked in drug and alcohol for a long time but it's good to see the changes over the last 30 years," she said. "Change from pure abstinence-based models to more of a holistic model of care for our clients.

"And that certainly sits better with me. Looking at the bigger picture, the whole psycho-social, the family, the communities."

She described receiving the award as a "real honour".

"But you don't do it for the accolades, you do it because you want to promote change and encourage change in people."

As for the future, it's business as usual.

"I'd like to continue research as well because I think that's where, if you've got questions to be asked, you've got to go and seek out the answers and that's what research does.

"Juggling that clinician and researchers role can sometimes be difficult but the support I've had from health has been really good."

Ms Bullen was supported by the Rural Research Capacity Building program.

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