Annual Report 2004-2005 - Forensicare

The implementation of the Carer
Participation Plan was formally evaluated in
June 2005, with all objectives being fully
or partially achieved.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
The Emergency Management Committee at
Thomas Embling Hospital is responsible for
ensuring that comprehensive emergency
planning and preparedness activities are
undertaken in a timely, effective and
efficient manner. The Committee, which
comprises management and clinical staff,
also promotes and develops a shared
understanding of the critical nature of
effective emergency management.
Throughout the year, 28 drills covering
emergency responses to breaches, fire and
medical incidents were held in a variety of
locations throughout the clinical and
administrative areas.
PRISON MENTAL HEALTH
Forensicare is contracted by Corrections
Victoria to provide the forensic mental
health service to prisoners at Melbourne
Assessment Prison (MAP), and consultant
psychiatrist sessions at five regional prisons
(monthly sessions at Ararat, Loddon and
Barwon prisons, and less frequently, as
required, at Bendigo and Tarrengower
prisons). Consultant psychiatrists also
provide twice weekly sessions to women
prisoners at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
The mental health services at MAP consist
of a 16-bed Acute Assessment Unit, in
which initial assessment and treatment is
provided to seriously mentally ill male
prisoners, together with an outpatient
service and a reception assessment service
(a mental health assessment is undertaken
on every prisoner received into custody at
the prison). Forensicare has a
multidisciplinary staffing profile at the
prison that includes psychiatrists,
psychiatric registrars, registered psychiatric
nurses, an occupational therapist, social
welfare worker, psychologist and medical
records staff.
Key outcomes for Forensicare’s prison
mental health service based at Melbourne
Assessment Prison in 2004-2005 –
• All performance measures were
exceeded during the year, with minimal
additional resources, and service
demands continued to increase
throughout the year. In particular –
a greater number of prisoners to
receive specialist assessment and
care within the prison.
• There was a higher level of acuity
of prisoners with a mental illness
remaining at MAP, due in part to
the limited bed availability at
Thomas Embling Hospital. Of a
capacity of 276 prisoners, there
was an average of 90 prisoners
who were unable to be moved
from MAP for mental health
reasons. In addition, there was a
20% increase in the number of
prisoners referred for psychiatric
assessment and care during 2004-
2005 (from 4,689 prisoners
referred in 2003-2004, to 5,661
prisoners referred in 2004-2005).
• To meet the increasing demand for
psychological services, the
psychology service increased from
5 to 6 sessions per week.
• The sessions provided by a
psychiatrist to prepare reports for
courts increased from 2 to 3
sessions per week, which enabled
us to meet requests from the
courts for reports on people
remanded in custody.
• During the year the number of
Muirhead Observation Cells (used
to accommodate disturbed
prisoners with a severe mental
illness) was increased by 50%, to
a total of 6. Prisoners in Muirhead
cells require intensive monitoring
and supervision by Forensicare
staff.
• The occupational therapist,
together with staff from Atherton
Unit, Thomas Embling Hospital,
implemented a pilot transition
program for prisoners being
discharged from the hospital and
returned to MAP.
• Forensicare continues to provide
education and training on mental
health issues to newly recruited
and existing staff of Corrections
Victoria. During the year staff
provided three training sessions to
correctional staff on issues relating
to working with people with a
mental illness.
• Discussions were held with a range
of agencies during the year with
the aim of establishing processes
to facilitate a smooth transition
from prison to the community for
people with a mental illness.
Prison mental health staff, together
with staff from our community
program, participated in
discussions with an area mental
health service to develop a protocol
for continuing community care and
treatment for Forensicare patients
and clients post-discharge, and
prisoners released from MAP.
These discussions are ongoing.
• The capacity of the Acute
Assessment Unit was increased to
16 beds during the year (it was
previously a 15-bed unit), enabling
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