BACK TO RESOURCES
Asset 60

The Development of a Side Effect & Preventive Health Screening Tool in a Community Mental Health Setting

Other resource Andy Simpson

Abstract

Author(s):

Andy Simpson¹

Affiliations:

1. Sydney Local Health District

Mental health consumers typically experience a range of side-effects from anti-psychotic medication which are often under-reported. Many neglect their physical health, and life expectancy for people with severe & enduring mental illness is 20-30 years less than the population average. Currently, mental health services routinely check metabolic monitoring every 13 weeks and recommend annual physical health reviews with the GP, but there is no routine monitoring of side effects or preventive health screening status. The M-SEPHS: Marrickville Side Effect & Preventive Health Screening Tool has been developed to quickly and concisely identify side-effects and preventive health screening status and is designed to be completed every 13 weeks alongside metabolic monitoring. A 12-month pilot of consumers who attend Marrickville Health Centre for their Long-Acting Injection has been completed. During this pilot, 100 individuals completed 149 screening tools, with a total of 235 side effects reported. While 28% of individuals reported no side-effects, 31% experienced three or more. Adherence to best practice guidelines for preventive health screening was extremely low. For individuals who were screened twice or more (n=41) there was no significant change in number of side effects reported or preventive health screening status, but there was a significant improvement in engagement with GP and dentist and a reduction of smoking. Recommended interventions will be developed to assist clinicians to respond appropriately to the findings. In addition, a consumer feedback survey has been implemented. From 23 surveys reviewed, 85% of respondents report that they think the tool is useful, with 50% reporting that new side effects were identified and 20% believing this led to a change of dose or treatment. 45% of respondents said that they followed up identified preventive health gaps with their GP. The tool is now being implemented further across Sydney Local Health District.