Authors: NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health
Year: 2013
Event: 2013 TheMHS Awards
Subject:
Type of resource: TheMHS Awards
Award state: VIC
Award level: Silver
Award category: Education, Training and Workforce Development
Abstract: Drive Safe was initiated in response to a workplace survey in 2005 that revealed widespread clinician ignorance about consumers’ driver status and uncertainty about how to manage driving as a risk factor. There was limited research and available knowledge to assist clinicians with this important issue. NorthWestern Mental Health (NWMH) Occupational Therapy (OT) launched the Drive Safe project eight years ago, developing four major strategies concurrently:
? Policy
? Comprehensive practice guidelines
? Workforce training
? OT Driver assessment and consultation services.
Drive Safe has been highly successful in achieving widespread change in clinician attitude and practice across the NWMH network. Clinicians have increased awareness and confidence in managing driving-related issues with consumers. There are now significant supports and resources embedded within the organisation to assist clinicians to identify and manage driving as a risk factor and support consumers to attain and/or maintain the important skill of driving.
Description of Facility/Organisation: NorthWestern Mental Health (NWMH) with an approximate budget of 173 million provides a comprehensive, integrated range of services to people with a serious mental illness in North-Western Melbourne. NorthWestern Mental Health provides crisis assessment and treatment, rehabilitation, community-based treatment, ongoing case management, acute inpatient, residential and specialist services as well as consultation and education to a population of around one million people and a wide range of health and welfare organisations. A multi-disciplinary workforce of 1,700 staff provides services to approximately 5,200 current consumers through four Area Adult Mental Health Services, an Aged Persons’ Mental Health Program and a Youth Mental Health Service – ORYGEN Youth Health. NWMH is a clinical division of Melbourne Health and operates in partnership with Northern Health and Western Health.
This resource is only available for subscribers. If you have a subscription, please log in. Otherwise, click here to purchase a subscription.