February 8, 2024
Redefining admission pathways for mental health consumers
Northern Health is bringing together medical, nursing, allied health, legal counsel and lived experience staff to discuss and redefine admission pathways for mental health consumers on 27 March 2024, at the Ibis Melbourne.
Keynote speakers include Anna Love, Victoria’s Chief Mental Health Nurse, who will speak about strengthening pathways for direct admission and supporting the Royal Commission findings, along with Sergeant Brad Turney, Northern Hospital Police Liaison, Victoria Police, who will discuss the role of Police and Clinician Emergency Response (PACER) and emergency services.
Northern Health speakers include:
- Belinda Scott, Executive Director, Mental Health Division
- Dr Daniel Crompton, Director, Emergency Services
- Awash Prasad, Director of Legal Services
- Dr Vinay Lakra, Divisional Director, Mental Health Division
- Dr Vijay Danivas, Head of Unit, Mental Health Division
- Shaveta Sood, Nurse Unit Manager, Mental Health Division
- Tanya Goodison, Ancy Joy and Janne-Marie Blackman, Program Managers – Community Mental Health
- Mary Mackie-Low, Emergency Mental Health Team Leader
- Christopher Ferguson, Manager, Consumer Lived Experience Workforce, Mental Health Division
Dr Crompton believes, “For too long now, mental health patients have had too few options in the community to seek help. Limited service availability means that many people living with mental illness receive treatment, care and support only at times of crisis. This has led to a risk-averse model of care in which people do not receive therapeutic and psychosocial supports and do not receive support early enough to aid recovery or to avoid an escalation in their illness.”
Dr Lakra says, “Providing a timely and appropriate care for those who are acutely unwell with a psychiatric illness is very important as delays in treatment can lead to poorer outcomes. It is a very timely and topical issue given significant demand for mental health beds in a system which is under severe pressure. It requires a whole of system approach to provide high quality treatment including a focus on preventing relapses.”
Ms Sood in her presentation will delve into the intricacies of direct admission from the lens of an inpatient unit, unravelling both the barriers that impede progress and the facilitators. She says, “By understanding these dynamics, we can pave the way for our consumers to have a smoother transition from the community.”
Mr Ferguson says his role in this forum is to remind everyone of the human face of consumers presenting to the emergency department. “I aim to be a conduit for the ‘consumer voice’ and help those attending to understand the barriers that mental health consumers experience,” says Mr Ferguson.