scholarly journals Use of a quality improvement strategy to introduce co‐design of the mental health discharge plan in rural and remote New South Wales

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren Kealy‐Bateman ◽  
Calina Ouliaris ◽  
Luke Viglione ◽  
Rebecca Wetton ◽  
Patricia Bullen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Improvement Strategy ◽  
Quality Improvement Strategy ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Discharge Plan

Case Study

2011 ◽  
pp. 191-203
Author(s):  
E. Saurman ◽  
D. Perkins ◽  
D. Lyle ◽  
M. Patfield ◽  
R. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Service ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Western Area ◽  
Area Health

The MHEC-RAP project involves the innovative application of video conferencing to mental health assessment in rural NSW. The preliminary evaluation findings of the project are presented. Mental health emergencies in rural and remote settings cause particular problems and are not amenable to conventional health service solutions. Patients and local health care staff may be isolated from specialist mental health staff and from acute inpatient services. Decisions to transport patients for specialist assessments or treatment may be required at night or at weekends and may involve families, police, ambulance services and local health staff. Such decisions need to be made promptly but carefully and the ability to obtain a specialist assessment may assist in making a decision about how best to care for the patient bearing in mind the need to provide a responsive, high quality and safe service to patients and local clinicians. In this chapter we examine a novel approach which uses audio-visual technology to conduct remote emergency mental health patient assessment interviews and provide consultations to local clinicians in rural communities in western NSW. The Mental Health Emergency Care – Rural Access Project or ‘MHEC-RAP’ was developed in 2007 following a series of consultations held in rural towns and implemented in 2008 within the Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS), New South Wales, Australia. GWAHS is a primary example of a rural and remote health service. It serves 287,481 people (8.3% of whom are Indigenous Australians) in an area that is 445,197sq km or 55% of the state of New South Wales (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001; Greater Western Area Health Service, 2007, 2009). The communities within GWAHS are mostly small, the towns are widely dispersed and local services are “limited by distance, expense, transport, and the difficulty of recruiting health professionals to these areas” (Dunbar, 2007 page 587). The chapter focuses on the design of the service, its implementation and its performance in the first year. We conclude with a discussion about the service, its broader relevance, transferability and its sustainability.

Responding to Mental Health Emergencies: Implementation of an Innovative Telehealth Service in Rural and Remote New South Wales, Australia

2011 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 453-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Saurman ◽  
David Perkins ◽  
Russell Roberts ◽  
Andrew Roberts ◽  
Martyn Patfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Telehealth Service ◽  
South Wales

Mental health data: A case for the African communities in New South Wales

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-80
Author(s):  
Daniel Kwai Apat ◽  
Wellington Digwa
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Health Services ◽  
New South ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Community Members ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Health Related

This paper examines mental health policies in relation to African communities residing in New South Wales, Australia and the attitudes of African communities toward mental disorders and mental health services. Current mental health policy frameworks have shown an inadequate inclusion of African communities. This may negatively affect the design of mental health interventions and how African communities engage with mental health services. The available mental health literature on African communities showed disjointed and uncoordinated data which focuses on specific community-groups within African communities. Insufficient mental health or suicide data, combined with African community members’ perception toward mental disorders and mental health services, makes it very difficult to progress engagement and interventions. There is a need for proper and sizable data on mental health related to people of African descent in NSW and Australia wide, if positive outcomes are to be realised.

scholarly journals Involuntary community treatment in New South Wales, Australia

1995 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Hambridge ◽  
Nicola Watt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Community Treatment ◽  
Compulsory Treatment ◽  
Perceived Benefits ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Mental Health Legislation ◽  
Health Legislation

The New South Wales Mental Health Act (1990) heralded a number of important changes to mental health legislation in the state. One of these was the option to give compulsory treatment to mentally ill clients living in the community. This article briefly explains community treatment under the Act, and the perceived benefits and the limitations of such legislation. A case example is used to illustrate some of these points. Involuntary community treatment is seen as a less restrictive alternative to hospitalisation for a number of mentally ill clients, but the use of such provisions demands significant resources from the supervising agency.

Emerging themes in Aboriginal child and adolescent mental health: findings from a qualitative study in Sydney, New South Wales

2010 ◽  
Vol 192 (10) ◽  
pp. 603-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna B Williamson ◽  
Beverley Raphael ◽  
Sally Redman ◽  
John Daniels ◽  
Sandra J Eades ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Child And Adolescent ◽  
Aboriginal Child ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Emerging Themes

Mental health of animal hoarders: a study of consecutive cases in New South Wales

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 480 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Snowdon ◽  
Graeme Halliday ◽  
Rosemary Elliott ◽  
Glenn E. Hunt ◽  
Steve Coleman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Services ◽  
New South ◽  
Good Reason ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Clinical Services ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Health Factors ◽  
Mental Health Factors ◽  
Psychiatric Problems

Objective The aim of this study was to review animal hoarding cases referred to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in New South Wales (NSW) to examine mental health factors that influence the development of animal hoarding and to consider strategies for dealing with such cases. Methods Data were gathered by RSPCA inspectors regarding consecutive cases referred to the agency over 2 years. Result Details were provided about animals and 50 identified hoarders (11 male, 39 female; mean age 57 years) on 48 properties. The mean number of animals per case was 53 (range 6–300). Fifteen participants (30%) were known to have had involvement with mental health or social services. Mental health factors appeared to contribute to animal hoarding in well over 50% of cases. Severe and moderate squalor were observed in 52% and 21% of dwellings assessed respectively, many with accumulated rubbish. Conclusions Animal hoarding is largely attributable to psychological and psychiatric problems. It is recommended that clinical services work alongside animal welfare inspectorates, assessing (and, where appropriate, treating) such problems. What is known about the topic? Animal hoarding is believed to be partly attributable to the hoarders having psychiatric or psychological problems, but relevant mental health assessment of hoarders is not usually arranged. Recidivism after removal of animals is nearly 100%. What does this paper add? The study confirms that animal hoarders commonly have mental health issues. However, RSPCA inspectors are not expected to screen for such issues or refer cases to mental health clinicians. What are the implications for practitioners? There is good reason to develop clinical services to help animal hoarders deal with their psychological or psychiatric problems.

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