Edan-Consumer Satisfaction Survey.pdf - vmiac

Mental Health Program
Consumer and Carer Relations
Through lived experience, and as an integral part of the Southern Health Mental Health,
the Consumer and Carer Relations Directorate enhances the programs capacity to instil
hope and provide an effective consumer and family/carer focused service.

Consumer and carer relations
In Victoria:
• Consumers have been employed since 1996
• Family/carer workers have been employed since 2003
At Southern Health:
• DCCR employed in Nov 2005, position funded internally.
• Only Youth service to funded to employ a Consumer Consultant.
• Additional financial support from across the program.
Current Staff
• Vrinda Edan, Director
• Joanne Sheedy, Senior Consumer Consultant
• Katrina Clarke, Senior Family/carer Consultant and
Parent/Carer consultant (ELMHS)
• Cherie Ross , Consumer Consultant (Adult)
• Beth Shingles, Project Officer Youth Participation
• vacant family/carer position currently interviewing.

Mental Health Program
Real Time Satisfaction Surveys
How Real are They?

Back Ground
Satisfaction Surveys in Mental Health traditionally
have an extremely low response rate:
• Last state-wide survey

Dilemma
How do we get information from consumers
that is
•Authentic
•Relevant
•Timely

Anne's idea
Could we use an iPAD in the
inpatient units to get ‘real time’
feedback?

Developing the questions
• Mental Health specific surveys as well as
general health surveys were explored.
• Validated surveys tended to be very long with on
average >50 questions
• Generally questions regarding inpatient stays were
asked after discharge.
• Reviewed past discharge surveys
• Developed questions and tested with
consumers.
• Needed to keep it as short as possible with as
much detail as possible.

Pilot
• Developed a Survey Monkey tool for inpatients to
complete, utilising questions from a range of
surveys.
• Tested with a group of experienced consumer
consultants
• Piloted for 2 months at Dandenong and Casey
• 4 visits to each ward
• 33 people approached
• 27 completed survey

Survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z53JZFY

Results of Pilot
Some very interesting results:
• 80% response rate
• Data supported anecdotal evidence that:
• consumers receiving little or no information about
their rights.
• Consumers receive little information about their
diagnosis and treatment.
“Don’t remember a lot about being admitted. But no
one has come back to me to explain all this stuff to me”

• 87.5% of consumers reported that they had
contact 1 or more times a day with a nurse and
that this contact was very helpful
“Only told about medication when I kept asking nursing
staff about it”
• Contact with other staff groups varied greatly
but was consistent across sites.
• Concerns regarding feelings of safety and
cleanliness, particularly on the Dandenong site.

Lets do it!

What we have done
• Refined the pilot survey
• Developed a reporting schedule.
• Developed a reporting tool
• Survey results are reported on quarterly
• Completed 2 quarters with reports to Mental Health
Program, Patient Safety and Quality.
• Reported to Southern Health Patient Centered
care Committee.

Process
• iPAD survey assisted by Consumer Consultant
• DCCR checks all comments weekly and
anything that ‘stands out’ is directed to NUM,
Director, MPD and DON
• Monthly email to NUMs with summary of
concerns raised during surveys
• Quarterly report to Patient Safety and Quality
with recommendations
• Tracking of recommendations through PS&Q
• Questions not compulsory

Examples of Data:

“feels very different from before,
really like have a room of my own.” (Dng Unit 1)

“asked about my family situation but not overly helpful. Don’t know what
they told my family. Its like you have to know the questions to ask”

How would your rate the information you received:

Outcomes:
• Changes are happening:
• 3 groups have commenced on wards with extremely
positive feedback to initial groups
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Medication Matters
• Understanding Mental Illness difficulties.
• Used information on privacy and safety to respond to
DoH’s gender sensitive plans.
• Increased consumer consultant presence on wards.
• Health service wide interest
• Ongoing refinement of survey

Culture Change
• During the first quarter rollout of the survey,
weekly communication with NUMs was initiated.
• After the first quarter report the group program
was implemented.
• Provides a very powerful, real time voice for
consumers, while they are in patients.

Future Plans:
• Validate the survey
• Explore options of computers in inpatient units
• Explore options to send surveys after discharge
• Expand to include community services
• Expand to include families and carers

Contact
Vrinda Edan
Director Consumer and Carer Relations
Southern Health
Mental Health Program
Dandenong Hospital
0406 534 573
03 9554 1821
vrinda.edan@southernhealth.org.au