Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program
Overview
Brisbane South Division of General Practice (BSDGP) has established a model to engage Mental Health Nurses to work from general practices that do not have the patient numbers, infrastructure or do not wish to employ their own Mental Health Nurse. These nurses will provide coordinated clinical care and treatment for people with severe mental disorders.
Objectives
The aim of the program to promote close and effective collaboration between Divisions, general practitioners and mental health nurses in the delivery of clinical support and coordinated care to:
- Improve levels of care for people with a severe mental illness
- Reduce the likelihood of unnecessary hospital admissions and readmissions for people with severe mental illness
- Assist in keeping people with severe mental illness well and connected within their community
- Assist general practitioners in navigating the mental health system
Program Details
On the 5th April 2006, the Prime Minister announced the Australian Government would provide funding of $1.9 billion over five years for the Better Mental Health Services for Australia packages as part of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) commitment to reforming the mental health system in Australia.
As part of this package, the Australian Government announced new funding of $191.6 million over five years in new funding for mental health nurses through the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP). The initiative is to fund general practices and private psychiatric practices to engage mental health nurses to assist in the provision of coordinated clinical care and treatment for people with severe mental disorders. The funding commenced 1 July 2007.
Along with general practices, private psychiatry practices and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care Services funded through the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Health; Divisions of General Practice can contract the services of mental health nurses for the use by general practice.
BSDGP is directly engaging mental health nurses on a contractual basis to provide services as outlined in the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program – Program Guidelines. The services are usually provided for the general practice clinic, however at times the mental health nurse will provide services from the patients’ homes or other appropriate community services. The program is at not cost to the patient.
The BSDGP is responsible for:
- Recruitment of the credentialed Mental Health Nurses who work at an advanced practice level
- Managing the ongoing contract requirements of the Mental Health Nurse
- Managing Medicare claims
- Providing payroll activities for the Mental Health Nurses
- Promoting and marketing the model
- Providing appropriate insurance coverage including workers compensation, vicarious and public liability
- Evaluating the program model
The General Practice is responsible for:
- Providing a clinic room for which the Mental Health Nurse would generally work
- Provision of clinical care oversight, including regular review of care provided by the Mental Health Nurse
- Providing the Mental Health Nurse with access to computerised patient files
- Providing administration support for appointment management
- Ensuring the Mental Health Nurse has access to a patient recall system
- Ensuring sufficient case load of eligible patients to engage the services of a Mental Health nurses for at least two sessions (1 day) per week i.e. 4 - 6 patients
- Developing and reviewing the care plan the with the patient and Mental Health Nurse
- Taking part in the evaluation of the BSDGP MHNIP model
The Mental Health Nurse Position engaged under the initiative will work closely with the general practitioners to facilitate the provision of coordinated clinical care and treatment for people with severe mental health disorders. This will include:
- Participating in the development and regular review of a GP Mental Health Care Plan by the GP, which will include specific reference to the roles and responsibilities of both the nurses and the treating medical practitioner.
- Provide advanced level clinical practice in the area of Primary Mental Health including:
- Monitoring of Mental State through mental state examination, risk assessment and bio-psycho-social assessment
- Symptom Management e.g. sleep/wake cycle, living with voices training, relaxation / deep breathing
- Medication Management e.g. medication education, side effect management, compliance education and strategies
- Psycho-education e.g. illness information
- Physical intervention through the completion of assessment of physical health needs and provision of education regarding this
- Supportive counselling e.g. Strengths Based Intervention
- Focused psychological intervention e.g. DBT, ACT, CBT
- Skills development e.g. budgeting, problem solving
- Carer support e.g. supportive counselling, education
- Facilitating referral to community services including to Allied Health Staff through the Better Access to Mental Health Care and Better Outcomes for Mental Health Care Programs
- Facilitating referral to meet individual needs e.g. Mental Health Personal Helpers and Mentors Program, employment services, social services, housing programs
- Maintaining linkages with community support services and participate in case conferences
- Facilitating and assisting in relapse planning and / or crisis preplanning
- Participating in discharge planning and facilitate exit from the program when the patient no longer wants to engage in the program or no longer is eligible for services
Program Acheivements
Achievements to date
- A consultant has been engaged to operationalise the program
- General practitioners have indicated interest in taking part in the model
- Mental health nurses have been recruited
It is envisaged that the model will be running 1 June 2008 and the evaluation will be completed by 30 May 2009.
Resources
Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program Resources
Links
Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program External Links
Contact Us
Sandra Chesney
Program Manager - Mental Health
(07) 32741886
schesney@bsdgp.com.au