scholarly journals Better access to psychology services in primary mental health care: an evaluation

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjyot Vagholkar ◽  
Lesley Hare ◽  
Iqbal Hasan ◽  
Nicholas Zwar ◽  
David Perkins
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
New South ◽  
Psychological Services ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The University ◽  
Program Data

Introduction: The Access to Allied Psychological Services program was introduced as part of the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care initiative in 2001?2002. Divisions of General Practice are funded to establish programs that allow GPs to refer patients for psychological treatments. The University of New South Wales evaluated programs run by the Southern Highlands and Illawarra Divisions of General Practice. This paper presents the findings of these evaluations. Method: Both evaluations analysed process and patient outcomes. This was obtained from a combination of program data and qualitative satisfaction data. Results: The two program models differed in the mechanism of retention of the psychologists and the method of referral of patients. Anxiety and depression were the main reasons for referral, and clinical data showed there was improvement in patient outcomes. Patients, GPs and psychologists expressed satisfaction with the programs. Discussion: The Access to Allied Psychological Services programs in both Divisions have proven popular. Flexibility in the program structure allows Divisions to develop a model which suits their local circumstances. There is support for ongoing Commonwealth funding and the challenge is to find the most effective and financially sustainable model of delivery for psychological services in primary care.

scholarly journals Recent changes in mental health legislation and government policy in psychiatric care in Australia

1995 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 293-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard Boerma ◽  
Robert Hayes ◽  
Alissa Moen ◽  
Anthony T. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Government Policy ◽  
Psychiatric Care ◽  
New South ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Mental Health Legislation ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Health Legislation

There have been a number of recent changes in mental health care legislation in Australia some of which mirror the changes that have occurred in the UK. These are reviewed within the context of the differing health care system in Australia and with particular reference to the State of New South Wales.

Service availability and capacity in rural mental health in Australia: Analysing gaps using an Integrated Mental Health Atlas

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 1000-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bregje A van Spijker ◽  
Jose A Salinas-Perez ◽  
John Mendoza ◽  
Tanya Bell ◽  
Nasser Bagheri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Outpatient Services ◽  
Care Services ◽  
South Wales

Objective: Access to services and workforce shortages are major challenges in rural areas worldwide. In order to improve access to mental health care, it is imperative to understand what services are available, what their capacity is and where existing funds might be spent to increase availability and accessibility. The aim of this study is to investigate mental health service provision in a selection of rural and remote areas across Australia by analysing service availability, placement capacity and diversity. Method: This research studies the health regions of Western New South Wales and Country Western Australia and their nine health areas. Service provision was analysed using the DESDE-LTC system for long-term care service description and classification that allows international comparison. Rates per 100,000 inhabitants were calculated to compare the care availability and placement capacity for children and adolescents, adults and older adults. Results: The lowest diversity was found in northern Western Australia. Overall, Western New South Wales had a higher availability of non-acute outpatient services for adults, but hardly any acute outpatient services. In Country Western Australia, substantially fewer non-acute outpatient services were found, while acute services were much more common. Acute inpatient care services were more common in Western New South Wales, while sub-acute inpatient services and non-acute day care services were only found in Western New South Wales. Conclusion: The number and span of services in the two regions showed discrepancies both within and between regions, raising issues on the equity of access to mental health care in Australia. The standard description of the local pattern of rural mental health care and its comparison across jurisdictions is critical for evidence-informed policy planning and resource allocation.

scholarly journals First, build the foundations:Practical considerations in general practitioner-mental health service liaison

2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Welch ◽  
Tina Philip ◽  
Greg Aldridge
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Community Care ◽  
New South ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Basic Standards

The co-working relationship between general practitioners and local mental health serviceslies at the heart of the success of recent changes in mental health care. These changes haveseen large-scale deinstitutionalisation, a shift to primary and community care, and agovernment policy of prevention and partnerships. This article outlines a liaison projectdeveloped jointly by the South-East New South Wales Division of General Practice and theSouthern Area Mental Health Service to address these issues. We describe the developmentof a protocol of basic standards which were practical, pragmatic and possible and, when fullyestablished, would be the foundation of effective, efficient and efficacious shared care inmental health.

Commentary on the harm reduction reference group of justice health and forensic mental health network and corrective services NSW, Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Anne Silano ◽  
Carla Treloar ◽  
Thomas Wright ◽  
Tracey Brown ◽  
Colette McGrath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
New South ◽  
Forensic Mental Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Network ◽  
South Wales

Purpose This commentary aims to reveal how a steering committee has effectively responded to advancing accessibility to harm reduction resources, hepatitis C virus (HCV) policy and health strategies within adult prison settings in New South Wales (NSW). Design/methodology/approach By reviewing the audit approach taken by the of the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network and Corrective Services New South Wales Harm Reduction Reference Group (JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG), this commentary emphasizes the committee’s success in identifying contemporary harm reduction issues that affect people in custodial settings. This commentary is a compilation of data gathered through the 2018 JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG audit and corresponding program materials. Conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the working group’s audit were drawn by critically appraising the JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG’s Final Audit Report (JHFMHN and CSNSW, 2018) with reference to current harm reduction literature. Findings The HRRG has provided leadership, professional representation and strategic advice on the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of best practice harm reduction strategies in prison settings. The HRRG developed and maintained networks and information exchange between the state-wide HCV health network, corrections services and the NSW harm reduction sector at large. Public health partnerships and advocacy that involve all key players, such as the HRRG, will continue to be crucial to remove barriers to enhancing HCV harm reduction measures especially in NSW prison settings. Social implications Strategies such as primary prevention and treatment can mitigate the spread of HCV in the custodial system. This audit of access to harm reduction resources was conducted on behalf of the diverse group of professionals, scholars and stakeholders comprising the HRRG. This audit and other advocacy efforts of this committee can facilitate future access to quality healthcare and the necessary policies required to support a healthier prison population at large. Originality/value Collaborating with health authorities, researchers and social service workers can enable prison health-care systems to be guided by wider health workforce programs and public health standards. This collaboration can reduce the professional isolation of custodial health-care staff and promote a balanced approach to harm reduction policies by ensuring an equitable focus on both health and security imperatives.

The Digital Revolution in Behavioral Health

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Hasselberg
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Behavioral Health ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Behavioral Health Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
The University

BACKGROUND: Technology is disrupting every modern industry, from supermarkets to car manufacturing, and is now entering the health care space. Technological innovations in psychiatry include the opportunity for conducting therapy via two-way video conferencing, providing electronic consultations, and telementoring and education of community health care providers. Use of mobile health applications is also an expanding area of interest and promise. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review the evolution and pros and cons of technology-enabled health care since the digital movement in psychiatry began more than 50 years ago as well as describe the University of Rochester’s innovative digital behavioral health care model. METHODS: A review of the literature and recent reports on innovations in digital behavioral health care was conducted, along with a review of the University of Rochester’s model to describe the current state of digital behavioral health care. RESULTS: Given the lack of access to care and mental health professional shortages in many parts of the United States, particularly rural areas, digital behavioral health care will be an increasingly important strategy for managing mental health care needs. However, there are numerous hurdles to be overcome in adopting digital health care, including provider resistance and knowledge gaps, lack of reimbursement parity, restrictive credentialing and privileging, and overregulation at both the state and federal levels. CONCLUSIONS: Digital health innovations are transforming the delivery of mental health care services and psychiatric mental health nurses can be on the forefront of this important digital revolution.

New Zealand general practice nurses' roles in mental health care

2011 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. McKinlay ◽  
S. Garrett ◽  
L. McBain ◽  
T. Dowell ◽  
S. Collings ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Practice Nurses

scholarly journals Implementation of treatment guidelines for specialist mental health care

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-82
Author(s):  
C. Barbui ◽  
F. Girlanda ◽  
E. Ay ◽  
A. Cipriani ◽  
T. Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Provider Performance

A huge gap exists between the production of evidence and its take-up in clinical practice settings. To fill this gap, treatment guidelines, based on explicit assessments of the evidence base, are commonly employed in several fields of medicine, including schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. It remains unclear, however, whether treatment guidelines have any impact on provider performance and patient outcomes, and how implementation should be conducted to maximise benefit.

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