Home > For Consumers > Education and Prevention > Mental Health > Programs

Programs

NMHSPF - project communique 2

Issue 2 - February 2012

Project communique issue 2 - February 2012 (PDF 48 KB)

Project overview
Consumer and carer participation
Project governance
Service element mapping
First progress report
What can we expect in the next 6 months?
How can I keep up to date?

Project overview

Established in July 2011, using funds provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, the National Mental Health Service Planning Framework (NMHSPF) Project initially concentrated on establishing the project governance and has more recently been engaging various stakeholders around Australia and laying the foundations for the upcoming modelling process.

Key activities performed since the last Communiqué of September 2011 are outlined below.

Project structure

Text version of project structure

This diagram shows the Executive Group at the top level, with the Modelling Group below it. Below the Modelling Group are the following:

• Primary Care/ Community/ Non Hospital Expert Working Group
• Psychiatric Disability Support/ Rehabilitation and Recovery Expert Working Group
• Inpatient/ Hospital Based Services Expert Working Group
• Consumer and Carer Reference Group
• ABF/ costing Top of page

Consumer and carer participation

Following input from the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum (NMHCCF), the Executive Group endorsed consumer and carer participation on the Modelling Group, each of the Expert Working Groups. The establishment of a Consumer and Carer Reference Group is also planned, allowing consumer and carer participants to discuss project matters with a wider cohort. Project updates will also be tabled at each meeting of the NMHCCF.

Project governance

The Chairs and Deputy Chairs of the Modelling Group and each of the Expert Working Groups have been identified and ratified by the Executive Group. Nominations for participation on the Expert Working Groups were invited from State/Territory Governments in the first instance, with a view for further discussion on required expertise to be attended at the first meeting of each Group.

Members of each Group are experts and leaders reflecting many aspects of mental health, from environments with a clinical, epidemiological, information management, service development and/or planning focus. These members will provide the clinical and expert advice required to deliver a National Mental Health Service Planning Framework.Top of page

Service element mapping

A series of workshops were conducted in all States and Territories to review the range of current mental health care provided and develop a common language for each service function. A 'Service Element' is the basic building block used in modelling and each element relates to one aspect of mental health care (eg. Acute inpatient service or crisis assessment). Given that each State and Territory structures their services differently and sometimes has unique service characteristics relevant only to their jurisdiction, the mapping process was valuable in determining the common service elements that are generally considered to make up a comprehensive mental health service system. Note that service elements describe only a general function of the service and do not determine who or where or how the service is delivered. This characteristic allows jurisdictions flexibility at the end of the Project to administer the services in the manner most appropriate to their capacity, service structure and priority.

This preliminary range of service elements will form the basis for discussion at the first meetings of the Modelling Group and Expert Working Groups. It is highly likely that the service elements may be altered, deleted or added to as the modelling process progresses.

First progress report

The contract deliverable for the Project was a First Progress Report due on 31 December 2011 to the NMHSPF Executive Group. This report was delivered on time and reflected a positive status for the Project in relation to task and timeline in these early stages.Top of page

What can we expect in the next 6 months?

From this point onwards, the focus will primarily be on the modelling process. The NMHSPF Modelling Group and Expert Working Groups are scheduled to meet in early March 2012. These meetings will address the important fundamentals of the modelling process, and identify/address the main issues relevant to their task. Roles and responsibilities will be allocated to members for action out of session and the range of expertise will be considered.

How can I keep up to date?

Due to the complexity of the Project structure, the NMHSPF Project Team is the primary communication point for the Project. All enquiries regarding the Project can be directed in writing to:

Mr Brian Woods
NMHSPF Project Director
Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Office
NSW Ministry of Health
Level 4, 73 Miller Street | LMB 961
NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2059
Email: NMHSPF at NMHSPF@doh.health.nsw.gov.au

Alternatively, biannual Project Communiqués and other project material will be made available on the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing website for general public access.Top of page