Health Directorate

ACT Health recognises that building an effective healthcare system requires genuine collaboration between consumers, carers and ACT Health staff. ACT Health is committed to providing opportunities for consumers and carers—those who are most affected by healthcare services—to influence the development, delivery and review of services. Increasing the participation of consumers and carers in health care is fundamental to building strong partnerships. The quality of care ACT Health provides is higher as a result of meaningful consumer and carer involvement in policy development and planning of health services.

Project

Summary

Canberra Hospital Discharged Inpatient Surveys

The survey is sent to a random selection of patients each week who were discharged from The Canberra Hospital to seek information on their experience. From 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 660 patients completed the survey.

Advance Care Planning

The Advance Care Planning team have conducted seven community presentations to provide information and raise awareness of advance care planning. There has been a 33 per cent increase in completed advance care planning documents received by ACT Health.

Controlled Medicines Prescriber Survey

This engagement aimed to consult with the medical community about the prescribing of controlled medicines following changes to the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation in August 2016. The survey was aimed at identifying potential areas for improvement in controlled medicines services offered by the Health Protection Service.

The Health Protection Service received 86 submissions as part of the survey conducted in March 2017. A majority of submissions were made by General Practitioners.

This stakeholder engagement will help to improve business operations and customer service with regard to controlled medicines policy.

Smoke-free Public Transport

This engagement aimed to consult with the community on an ACT Government proposal to establish a smoke-free area at public transport waiting areas in the ACT. Public transport waiting areas include bus and taxi stops, shelters, ACT Government public transport vehicles and platforms.

The Your Say website and an online survey were used to facilitate the community consultation. Stakeholders that may be directly affected by the declaration, including businesses that operate within close proximity to public transport waiting areas, were contacted by ACT Health and directed to the consultation.

Over the six week consultation period, 581 complete submissions were received.

The consultation outcomes will inform the development of a Regulatory Impact Statement to assess the feasibility of declaring ACT public transport waiting areas smoke-free.

Smoke-free Public Playgrounds and Play  Spaces

This engagement sought community feedback on the proposed option to declare areas within 10 metres of ACT Government owned children’s play equipment and play spaces smoke-free.

Stakeholders that may have been directly affected by the declaration, including businesses that operate within close proximity to play spaces and playgroup and parent associations, were contacted by ACT Health and directed to the consultation.

Over the six week consultation period, 307 complete submissions were received. The consultation provided overwhelming support to declare children’s play grounds to be smoke-free areas.

On 7 September 2016, public play grounds and play spaces were declared as smoke-free.

Food Safety Information Sessions for Food Businesses

As part of a national consultation on food safety management, the ACT collaborated with Canberra Business Chamber to deliver four information sessions in March 2017 for food businesses and industry representatives. These sessions provided information on common food safety compliance issues, as well as giving stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback on future options to improve food safety outcomes in the food service and closely-related retail sectors.

These sessions were attended by more than 100 representatives from ACT food businesses and industry. Attendees provided positive feedback about the opportunity to participate in engagement. Based on the success and demand to attend these sessions, the Health Protection Service will deliver similar food safety information sessions in the future.

Review of the implementation of the Mental Health Act 2015

From December 2016 to February 2017 Australian Continuous Improvement Group (ACIG) and the Mental Health Policy Unit conducted a series of consultative forums with ACT Health staff, mental health consumers and carers and other key stakeholders to develop an evaluation plan for the review of the implementation of the Mental Health Act 2015.

National Consultation on the Fifth National Mental Health Plan

In October/November 2016 ACT Health undertook local consultations with key stakeholders as part of a national stakeholder consultation process to inform the development of the Fifth National Mental Health Plan.

These sessions provided an opportunity for carers and consumers, in particular, to participate in discussion and introduce them to the Plan.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body Public Hearings. Health portfolio Hearing 13 April 2017

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body (ATSIEB has obligations under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body Act 2008 to monitor and report on the effectiveness and accessibility of ACT Government programs and services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in the ACT. One mechanism to do this is through public hearings.

ACT Health participated in the Public Hearing held on Health on 13 April 2017. This involved coordinating directorate representation at the Hearing and evidence provided to the Hearing. In 2017, ACT Health provided evidence on an array of topics, ranging from programs and service delivery in key areas including mental health and justice health, to program funding information, workforce data and strategic policy development.

Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm

In May 2017 a strategic workshop was held with key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, representatives and community groups to discuss the entry criteria for clients, the types of activities that should take place on the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm (NBHF) and a staged approach to service provision. Subsequent to the meeting the NBHF Advisory Board was reconvened and has met multiple times to refine service provision ahead of the planned opening of the NBHF.

Adult Community Mental Health Model of Care

The preliminary work undertaken to redesign the Adult Community Mental Health Model of Care (ACMHS MoC) commenced with an extensive consultation process. This process was inclusive of internal stakeholders within Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services (MHJHADS) in addition to external stakeholders and representatives from peak Carer and Consumer bodies.

There have been a number of targeted and focused community consultations in preparation of the proposed ACMHS MoC. This consultation was largely coordinated through the involvement of representative key stakeholder agencies including Capital Health Network, the Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT, ACT Mental Health Consumer Network and Carers ACT, who participated in consultative decision making and service redesign planning processes.

Broader consultation input was received from a large number of community members and individual agencies through forums, workshops and formal invitations for feedback. The proposed ACMHS MoC incorporates the outcomes of the above consultation activities to form an innovative and person centred stepped care approach to specialist community mental health service delivery.

Stakeholder feedback has been pivotal in guiding the work to date. As this work progresses through to full implementation, ongoing feedback will continue by way of formal information sessions and representation on targeted focus and working groups.

University of Canberra Public Hospital

As part of the University of Canberra Public Hospital (UCPH), significant community engagement has occurred to support planning around the Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit (AMHRU) and an Adult Mental Health Day Service (AMHDS). This included consumer and carer representation through Carers ACT and the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network on working groups and user groups to help inform both the development of Models of Care for the AMHRU and AMHDS, as well as the preliminary design for UCPH.

There have also been targeted information sessions, particularly for the Brian Hennessy Rehabilitation Centre community (residents, carers/family, staff). A divisional forum was held for other Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services staff around UCPH. Other public forums have been facilitated by the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network and the Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT to specifically discuss UCPH.

Brian Hennessy Rehabilitation Centre Transition

In June 2014, it was announced that Brian Hennessy Rehabilitation Centre (BHRC) would be closing in conjunction with the opening of the new University of Canberra Public Hospital (UCPH) and that BHRC residents would be transferred to alternative Mental Health services and accommodation options in the ACT.

Most residents are expected to access the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and will be assisted to find suitable accommodation, services and supports in the ACT.

A project plan for Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services to support the transition of people from BHRC to alternative accommodation has been completed and outlines the initial steps to assist people to identify their individual needs and source appropriate accommodation, services and supports in the ACT.

As part of the transition plan, community engagement was conducted across a range of forums with key stakeholders to provide information about the development of the transition project plan. These included:

  • targeted information sessions for the BHRC Community including residents, carers/family, staff and other key stakeholders
  • a divisional forum organised for other Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services staff centred around the BHRC Transition (and UCPH)
  • public forums facilitated by the ACT Mental Health Consumer Network and Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT to specifically discuss BHRC Transition (and UCPH).

Donald Cant Watts Corke, a specialist health consultancy company, were commissioned to complete an options analysis for the provision of long term supported accommodation for people with complex, severe and persistent mental illness who do not require hospitalisation but may require 24 hour support for activities of daily living.

Meetings were undertaken with a number of groups to identify national trends in the delivery of care for this cohort of people, determine the availability of supported accommodation in the ACT and to gauge the willingness of groups to be involved in providing care and or accommodation.

Meetings were held the Mental Health Community Coalition, the Mental Health Consumer Network, Carers ACT, the University of the Third Age and a range of community organisations involved in providing supported accommodation in the community.

Following the consultations, a report was completed to assist ACT Health with future planning.

The report outlines medium to longer term solutions for delivering community based residential accommodation which will require the establishment of a working group with the Community Services Directorate to explore these options.

To manage the accommodation requirements in the interim, BHRC will remain open for a maximum of four years with an amended model of care that will see care and support provided by non-government organisations with clinical in-reach by Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services community mental health teams.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) engaged community key stakeholders in the development of the Specialised Youth Mental Health Services (SYMHO). These key stakeholders included Catholic Care, Wellways, Capital Health Network, Youth Coalition and Gugan Gulwan. Engagement was through workshops and information forums.

Adult Acute Mental Health Services

Adult Acute Mental Health Services at The Canberra Hospital hold a regular Collaborative Engagement Forum at the Adult Mental Health Unit (AMHU). Participants are from non-government organisations, ACT Mental Health Consumers Network and Carers ACT to share developments, successes and issues in collaboratively supporting admitted people from acute care to the community.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Forums

The Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services meets regularly with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and other government and community agencies to develop pathways to assist NDIS-eligible and non-eligible people navigate the service and to identify any issues that may arise for people accessing these services.

Staff from Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services have continued to participate in a range of NDIS forums including regular interagency meetings facilitated by the NDIS as well as public forums that have been coordinated through the Mental Health Community Coalition. These forums have aimed to provide information to all stakeholders about the NDIS, such that people can better navigate their way through the system and have their unique perspective heard.

General Practitioner (GP) Liaison Nurse

A Memorandum of Understanding between Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services and Capital Health Network was finalised during 2016-17.

The GP Liaison Nurse plays a key role in the transition of a person from mental health services to community-based primary care services.

The GP Liaison Nurse promotes and fosters relationships between Adult Mental Health Services, GPs and Capital Health Network.

A primary role for the GP liaison nurse is to support the adult community mental health teams to identify people who may be suitable to transition to primary care and community support systems.

The GP Liaison Nurse works to improve and foster linkages with GPs and other health care providers in order to support people engaged with primary care, their families and carers by providing information and education on appropriate community-based mental health services.

Alcohol Overdose Smart Phone App Development

Following the development of the alcohol overdose business card, this information has been incorporated into a tool for a smart phone. Client groups have provided feedback in session (approximately 15 clients in total) and a focus group established with the Youth Coalition. The feedback from this focus group has been completed to ensure useability of the tool for the smart phone. These changes are currently being implemented.

Justice Health Services

The Justice Health Services Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) or representative, attends the monthly Alexander Maconochie Centre Detainee Delegates meeting. This provides a forum for detainees to exchange information with staff from across ACT Corrective Services and ACT Health.

Dhulwa Mental Health Unit

As part of the commissioning of the Dhulwa Mental Health Unit, Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services conducted community and stakeholder guided tours of the unit in September 2016. Stakeholders included Australian Federal Police, Emergency Services, Supreme Court Magistrate, Aged Care Assessment Team, Human Rights Commission and statutory oversight bodies.

The community tours were held over five days in the weeks prior to opening. The tours were promoted internally on the ACT Health Intranet through News Hub, posters, message on the TVs in foyers, the Director-General bulletin, staff bulletins and the Whole of Government message. Externally the tours were promoted on local radio, ACT Health‘s digital platforms and in local print publications Canberra Weekly and the Chronicle.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison

Community consultation has occurred in regards to ACT Health needs and gaps in service provision to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. This was conducted through focus groups with community members, elders, men’s and women’s groups.

Consultation included workforce needs, models of care and service provision and the construction of a culturally responsive framework and practice standards and led to the development of a brief to management about enhancing, reinforcing and strengthening services.

Consultation also occurred in preparation for a more fit-for-purpose data collection method to record occasions of service for Aboriginal Liaison Officers working with community members outside of the hospital facilities.