Authors: Alfred Psychiatry
Year: 2001
Event: 2001 TheMHS Awards
Subject:
Type of resource: TheMHS Awards
Award state: VIC
Award level: Gold
Award category: CONSUMER/CARER PROGRAM OR SERVICE
Abstract: The Consumer Participation Program of Alfred Psychiatry is a sophisticated, extensively integrated program that has an active consumer membership of over 100. 30 consumers currently work in a range of capacities including ‘Consumer Evaluation work Teams’ (Consumer Interviewers), ‘Consumer run staff training Team’, ‘Consumer Newsletter work Team’ and ‘Consumer run Federally Funded Project work teams’. It has opportunities for consumers to participate within all service aspects (‘Portfolio working groups’ and ‘sub-committees’ [total 17]), working equally alongside staff for service quality improvement. All consumers are paid for their work. The Program has developed to be inclusive in all service ‘systemic’ quality improvement processes. It brings the ‘Consumer Perspective’ into clinical treatment meetings. It also develops projects that support and skill individuals for ‘participation within their own individual treatments’, without the Program stepping into individual advocacy. All Consumer Participation Program processes are consumer driven, staff-consumer collaborative and quality improvement of service focused. Description of Facility/Organisation: Alfred Psychiatry (Adult) is a Community-based, mainstreamed, integrated Area Mental Health Service of Inner Metropolitan Melbourne. Funding is provided from the Victorian Department of Human Service, Mental Health Branch as an ‘Area Mental Health Service’. Alfred Psychiatry has an annual budget of $18.8 million. The catchment area covers the inner and eastern suburbs of Melbourne, of St. Kilda, Glen Eira, Port Phillip and Stonnington local council catchment areas. The services are delivered as Community Mental Health Services through the Crisis Assessment and Treatment team (CAT), the Mobile Support and Treatment Service (MSTS), the Homeless Team, 2 x Continuing Care Teams (one situated in each clinic), the Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Units, and a residential Community Care Unit (CCU). Services are multi-disciplinary, consisting of Case-managers from disciplines of Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Psychologists, Psychiatric Nurses, and Acute Inpatient and Residential Nursing staff. Patient Services Officers (PSO) are also employed. All teams are supported medically by Consultant Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Registrars and Hospital Medical Officers (HMO). Alfred Psychiatry also provides a ‘Psychology Clinic’ service to the General Hospital and the local community. The services are divided into: 2 x 25 bed Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Units situated within the General Hospital. 2 x Community Mental Health Clinics that provide services to 800 active clients. And a 20 bed residential Community Care Unit.
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