Chief Psychiatrist's annual report 2008-09 - Department of Health

34 Chief Psychiatrist’s annual report 2008–09
7 Working with the department and other stakeholders
The Chief Psychiatrist and staff from the office work closely with colleagues in the Departments of
Health and Human Services, particularly the Mental Health, Drugs and Regions (MHDR) Division.
The Chief Psychiatrist is involved in various policy, process and operational matters relating to
mental health service delivery, where the office’s interface with service providers and service users
can bring a first hand perspective to the issues being considered. The Chief Psychiatrist and staff
are also involved in a number of departmental and interdepartmental committees.
Liaison also occurs with a range of government, non-government and advocacy bodies including
the Public Advocate, Health Services Commissioner, the Coroner, Mental Health Review Board,
the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice on matters of common interest and in response to
specific issues as they arise.
Some key areas of involvement during the reporting period have also been with the Office of the
Senior Practitioner in jointly seeking to improve outcomes for dual disability consumers 16 who come
to the attention of either office, and with the Multiple and Complex Needs Panel on care plans for
complex clients.
7.1 Mental Health Triage Project
In 2007 the Chief Psychiatrist led the development of a draft mental health triage scale and
guidelines in consultation with the MHDR Division’s Mental Health Triage Scale Advisory
Committee, which comprised consumer and carer representatives, senior clinical experts from the
mental health sector and divisional staff.
The scale is a rating system that guides clinicians in classifying triage contacts according to level
of urgency and the response required by mental health and other services. The purpose of the
scale is to promote a more consistent and clinically appropriate response to consumers, carers and
referrers seeking access to mental health services, and aid data collection about service access,
utilisation and demand.
Throughout 2008 the scale was piloted at 13 mental health services across the state, supported
by a training program including an e-learning component. The scale and the training program
have been formally evaluated and the findings used to inform further refinement of the scale and
guidelines. It is anticipated that the triage scale will be introduced in all Victorian area mental health
services in 2010.
The draft scale and guidelines, and further information about the project, can be found at
www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/triage.
7.2 Review of secure extended care services
There has been a growing demand for secure extended care unit (SECU) beds over recent years,
particularly for younger men with a dual diagnosis whose associated drug and alcohol issues places
them or the community at risk. Victoria has an acknowledged shortage of secure extended care
beds in both the general and forensic sectors. The Chief Psychiatrist regularly receives requests
from mental health services to facilitate access to such beds. The frequency of these requests is
increasing and metropolitan and rural units all report long waiting lists.
16 People with an intellectual disability and mental illness.