Author(s)

Harpreet Singh

Affiliations

Eastern Health

Introduction

Clinical Innovation Across the divide -physical health provision for mental health consumers

Launch of Equally Well framework for specialist mental health services in Victoria in 2019 provided pathway towards better health outcomes for people living with severe mental illness receiving care from tertiary health services.

The Equally Well steering committee has been allocated the task of embedding clinical governance and quality improvement aspects intrinsic in sustaining practises that support improvement of physical health outcomes for consumers living with mental illness.

Method

This comes from years of work both at national and international level, including development of an Equally Well consensus statement in 2017 (National mental health commission) and inclusion of physical health in the 5th Australian National Mental Health plan. For large services, such as Eastern Health in Victoria, there are challenges in embedding all aspects of this framework across the life span. Despite the ongoing challenges associated with balancing the demand from the community for provision of tertiary mental health services Eastern Healths Equally Well program, has prioritized supporting improved physical health outcomes for consumers living with mental illness.

Results & findings

The steering committee is Inclusive of all disciplines such as Lived experience workforce, Allied health team, Nurse Practitioners, Psychiatrists and General Practitioners (embedded in community mental health teams) supporting the vision of Improving quality health care for all mental health consumers. In collaboration with Safer Care Victoria, Eastern Health has worked alongside other mental health services to support best practices, develop care models and clinical governance structures.

Discussion

This presentation speaks to ongoing efforts to embed and sustain the priority areas of the framework in practise, support research and improve practise by development of excellent clinical governance and steering structures, providing pathways of care for services. Additionally, we will reflect the learnings that have assisted our large multidisciplinary service to overcome barriers faced by services with complex structures.