Evaluation of the mental health nurse incentive program
1 Introduction
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Table of contents
1.1 Background to the evaluation
Healthcare Management Advisors (HMA) was engaged by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to undertake an evaluation of the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP). Initiated in July 2007, MHNIP provides payments to community based general practices, private psychiatric practices and Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) to engage mental health nurses to:......assist in the provision of coordinated clinical care for people with severe mental health disorders. Mental health nurses work in collaboration with psychiatrists and general practitioners to provide services such as monitoring a patient's mental state, medication management and improving links to other health professionals and clinical service providers. These services are provided in a range of settings, such as clinics or patient's homes and are provided at little or no cost to the patient.3
The intent of MHNIP is to:
ensure that patients with severe and persistent mental illness in the private health system receive adequate case management, outreach support and coordinated care. MHNIP also assists in relieving workload pressure for general practitioners and psychiatrists, allowing more time to be spent on complex care. Close and effective collaboration between mental health nurses, general practitioners and psychiatrists in the delivery of clinical support and services in the community is expected to:
- improve levels of care for people with severe mental disorders;
- reduce the likelihood of unnecessary hospital admissions and readmissions for people with severe mental disorders; and
- assist in keeping people with severe mental illnesses well, and feeling connected within the community.3
1.2 Report structure
This document is a draft final report of the evaluation. The report has two parts and seven chapters:Part A: evaluation context
- Chapter 1 (this chapter) describes the overall purpose of the evaluation and the scope of this interim deliverable;
- Chapter 2 describes HMA's approach to conducting the evaluation; and
- Chapter 3 presents a situation analysis that describes the context and structure of the program.