Quality of Care Report - Ballarat Health Services

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Mental Health Clinician Leanne Scott discusses a treatment plan with a client.Psychiatric ServicesMental illness affects so many of us, yetthe condition is still stigmatised.But rather than coming to terms withthe fact that mental illness is very mucha part of everyday life, and a conditionthat can affect anyone at any time, it isstill something that is furtivelywhispered about and stigmatised tosuch a degree that the perception thata person suffering from mental illnesscould somehow be at fault remains.Mental illness just like heart disease,cancer or any other illness can affectanyone, anywhere, at any time – anddoes.Mental illness is a disease, like anyother disease, but still carries with it acertain stigma and that can be veryharmful. In fact, one in five Australiansduring their lives will experience amental health issue. This figureincludes everything from low levelanxiety and depressive disorders tosevere and enduring mental illnessessuch as depression, schizophrenia,bipolar, psychotic, personality andeating disorders.Ballarat Health Psychiatric Servicesincreased the number of directcommunity based contacts with clientsby 7961 to a record 100,409 contacts –up 44.33 per cent or 30,252 contactson five years ago.Psychiatric Services have been veryproactive in treating people earlier,which had lead to more people usingthe service.Ballarat Psychiatric Services has one ofthe lowest acute inpatient occupancyrates in the state. We are treating moreand more people in their ownenvironment, which lessons thelikelihood of clients needing acuteinpatient care.In an attempt to change the perceptionassociated with mental asylums fromVictorian days the following is a walkwith one family though the experienceof mental illness. Hopefully sharing thisjourney will help us all understand howthe different service providers and careareas ‘talk’ to each other.Being diagnosed with mental illness isnot the end of the world. There arevastly improved treatments and moresupport available today than there everhas been, any condition can besignificantly improved with medicationand the right social support.John’s journey shows how this occursand some of the processes we track tocheck how it is working.15Ballarat Health Services Quality of Care Report 2007-08
One Family’s Journeythrough ourPsychiatric ServicesJohn is a 22 year old man who lives athome on a farming property with hisparents, Colin and Jean(not their real names).He attended school at nearby Araratuntil he was 15 years old, then stayedat home, helping his dad out on thefarm.Colin and Jean state that John hasalways been a bit of a loner, mixingpoorly with other people and spendinga lot of time in his room, surfing theinternet and playing music. They say heis always talking to himself.Over the last few weeks, John’s parentshave noticed that he is not sleeping,spending all of his time locked in hisbedroom, always on the computer andplaying music very loudly. He hasbecome more and more withdrawn anduncommunicative.He has started eating and drinking verylittle, and seems very suspicious of hisparents.When Colin asks John to help out onthe farm, John becomes verballyaggressive towards his father, stating “Iknow what you are all trying to do toMental illness accounts forover 25 per cent of thedisability burden from allhealth problems across thepopulation as a whole.The economic impact ofmental illness in Victoria hasbeen estimated at $5.4billion annually.In 2006, mental illness was akey factor in 25 per cent ofall people on a DisabilitySupport Pension in Victoria.me!” He then storms out of the houseand runs off across the paddocks.When John doesn’t return home bydark, Colin and Jean go looking for himand find him in a pump station shed.He is curled up in the fetal position andhumming loudly. They take him homeand put him into bed.They contact their local generalpractitioner . in Ararat, who agrees todo a home visit.Following a lengthy consultation, thedoctor notes that John has beenhearing voices for a number of years,and believes that he is being controlledby people over the internet. He believesthat people wish to harm him becausehe has special powers.Psychiatric services provide24 hour 7 day a weekservices across the region.Experienced clinicians areavailable to provideassistance. (Telephone1300 66 13 23 local call)He is sleeping poorly and his dietaryintake is inadequate.The doctor recommends that John havea psychiatric assessment to provide adiagnosis and possible treatmentoptions. Whilst John is reluctant to dothis, his parents manage to get him toagree to the assessment. The doctorcontacts the Ararat Psychiatric Serviceto arrange the assessment.The details of John’s presentation areobtained from the doctor and theduty clinician arranges for anassessment to be done thefollowing morning at the farm.The doctor has given John asedative so that he cansleep overnight.All referrals forwarded bygeneral practitioners toPsychiatric Services lead to acomprehensive assessment.A recently developedprotocol “Working andCaring Together” outlinesthe collaboration betweenPsychiatric Services and theclient’s general practitionerin care and treatment.Following the assessment, anappointment is made for John to see aPsychiatrist in Ararat.John and his parents are given anoutline of the possible treatmentprogram and provided with strategiesto minimise the effects of the voicesand thoughts. They are given a 24 hourcontact telephone number and thefindings of the assessment arecommunicated to the generalpractitioner.John attends the appointment with thePsychiatrist in the company of hisparents.A comprehensive mental stateexamination and review of John’s lifehistory is taken.The Psychiatrist informs John that he issuffering from paranoid schizophreniaand outlines a treatment plan whichinvolves taking anti-psychoticmedications and undergoing a range ofpsycho-social treatment interventions,which will be provided by themultidisciplinary team.Mental Health Clinician Marice O’brien taking a triage callQuality of Care Report 2007-08 16
Page 3: Welcome to the Ballarat HealthServi
Page 6 and 7: BHS theatre nurses Lauren Atkinson
Page 8 and 9: Community AdvisoryCommitteeImprovin
Page 10 and 11: Promoting theBenefits of aMulticult
Page 12 and 13: Your Experience Patient StoryJohn G
Page 14 and 15: What Happens if youhave a Complaint
Page 18 and 19: Victoria provides modern andsophist
Page 20 and 21: Psychiatric ServicesThe Future Work
Page 22 and 23: Waiting for surgeryBallarat Health
Page 24 and 25: Oncology ServicesFour years ago whe
Page 26 and 27: suitability for transplantation, or
Page 28 and 29: “I never expected to make this de
Page 30 and 31: Governance and RiskManagementPuttin
Page 32 and 33: Committed to SafetyBHS is committed
Page 34 and 35: Achievements• The use of alcohol/
Page 36 and 37: Dr Luke Mitchell and Michelle Hamro
Page 38 and 39: “Having to travel to Ballarat for
Page 40 and 41: Our Staff andVolunteersHow can you
Page 42 and 43: Ballarat HealthServices MassCasualt
Page 45 and 46: Tell us what you think….We invite

Quality of Care Report - Ballarat Health Services

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