Asia

The Rapidly Changing Face of Mental Health Services- 3rd APAC Forum

September 3, 2014

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Tuesday 2nd September

AAMH Director Professor Chee Ng participated in an inspiring session at the APAC Forum this week in Melbourne.  Managed by Ko Awatea, Auckland and this year hosted by Commission for Hospital Improvement, part of Victoria’s Department of Health, the Asia Pacific (APAC) Forum on Quality Improvement and Healthcare is in its 3rd year.

This 75-minute session chaired by Hong Choon Chua(Singapore) addressed the rapidly changing face of mental health services, in response to the demand for safe, sustainable, and recovery oriented services throughout the world. The session demonstrates advances in system reform, peer support and harm detection.

1)      Peer Support Specialists: Cassandra Laskey and Peter Watson introduced Peer Support Specialist workforce which has been a successful innovation for Counties Manukau Health located in Auckland, New Zealand.  Peer Support Specialists have had a positive impact on outcomes for both service users and clinical teams.  Peer support contributes to reducing health disparities and has led to the rapid development of the peer workforce in the broader Mental Health and Addictions sector.

2)      Mental Health Trigger Tool: Marcus Tan highlighted that current treatments for mental health care are not without risk of harm to patients. The team from the Institute of Mental Health in Singapore is developing a trigger tool, based on the IHI global trigger tool, to specifically to detect and measure harm in the mental health setting. The methodology involved in developing the trigger tool and the preliminary set or triggers associated with harm will be discussed

3)      Mental Health System Reform: Chee Ng presented the global picture that emphasized the challenges in mental health services due to the lack of appropriate services and the under-resourced mental health workforce in many parts of the world. The Asia-Pacific Community Mental Health Development Project has promoted the exchange of best practices for community mental health care. An example of successful mental health reform is seen in China, which has implemented an extensive mental health reform program in partnership with Asia-Australia Mental Health. Over the last decade the program has led to profound and sustainable impacts in national mental health policy, service delivery, and community-based psychosis management program.