April 8, 2024The conference ‘Right Care, Right Time, Right Place’ organized by the Northern Health Mental Health Division held at The Ibis Melbourne brought together experts to discuss alternatives to the Emergency Department (ED) admission pathway for mental health consumers. Over 150 professionals from across metro, regional, and rural services, both from Victoria and interstate, attended the conference.
The conference was opened by Anna Love, the Chief Mental Health Nurse of Victoria, who spoke about strengthening pathways for direct admission and supporting the Royal Commission findings.
The event facilitated valuable discussions and conversations among staff from Victoria Police, Department of Health, Ambulance Victoria, mental health clinicians, medical staff, and individuals with lived experience. Together, they explored new viewpoints, strategies, and approaches to redefine admission pathways for mental health consumers.
Director of Nursing, Gary Ennis, said “As healthcare services across Australia continue to struggle to meet the demands of mental health presentations to emergency departments, this conference aimed to increase the dialogue about how we shift back to direct admission when possible and not see emergency departments as a default admission pathway.”
Several speakers from Northern Health shared their expertise and insights at the conference. Dr. Daniel Crompton, Director of Emergency Services, discussed the concept of medical clearance and its impact on timely and appropriate care. Christopher Ferguson, Manager, Consumer Lived Experience Workforce, emphasized the importance of engaging with consumers to understand their experiences and design solutions that meet their needs. Shaveta Sood, Program Manager, provided insights into the intricacies of direct admission from the perspective of an inpatient unit.
Dr Danivas presentation on the concept of medical clearance and how it impacts on access to timely and appropriate care provoked lots of discussion. The conference audience were particularly interested in the SMART medical clearance protocol that Dr Danivas discussed.
Sergeant Brad Turney from the Northern Hospital Police Liaison, Victoria Police, presented on the role of Police and Clinician Emergency Response (PACER) and emergency services. The conference also featured a panel discussion with senior clinical, operational, lived experience staff, and legal counsel, which further enriched the conversation.
Mr Ennis said, “This conference has sparked conversations with key stakeholder including the Department of Health, Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police. We will get feedback from conference attendees before planning our next conference in 2025.”
“Thank you to all of the Northern Health staff who shared their thoughts and vision for how we move forward in ensuring the right care, at the right time, in the right place, is an option for our consumers. A special thank you to Belinda Scott and Vinay Lakra for supporting this important initiative,” he said.
Mr Awash Prasad, Director of Legal Services and one of the speakers at the conference, said he was very proud of the mental health team for organising this event. “It was a sold-out event – not an empty seat to be seen. There was a lot of productive and helpful discussions,” he said.
Belinda Scott, Executive Director, Mental Health said, “A big thank you to Gary for his vision, hard work and passion to make the conference the success it was.”
Overall, the conference provided a platform for meaningful discussions and productive exchanges, contributing to the ongoing efforts to ensure the delivery of the right care, at the right time, and in the right place for mental health consumers.
