Consumer
and Carer Participation
Consumer
and Carer participation is actively encouraged in service
delivery, planning, development and evaluation at St. Vincent's
Adult Mental Health Service.
St.
Vincent's Mental Health has an information kit for
consumers and carers. Please request a copy from your Case Manager
or at reception.
St.
Vincent's Mental Health employs Consumer Consultants and a
Carer Consultant. They work with both consumers / carers and staff
to support service improvements and to bring attention to issues
which affect consumers and carers. The consumer and carer
consultants can be contacted through the community clinics
-Clarendon or Hawthorn- or the
Acute Inpatient Service.
(Note:
The Consumer and Carer Consultants work part time, so please ask to leave a message for them if they are
not immediately available.)
Useful
information for Consumers and Carers
St. Vincent’s Mental Health Medication Information Booklet.
The Acute Inpatient Service provides a ‘Medication Information
Forum’ for patients, which is run on a weekly basis. The
facilitators: are Professor David Castle (Chair of Psychiatry) and
Ms Nga Tran, Senior Clinical Pharmacist.
Through feedback at this forum, it became apparent that there was a
need for better written information about psychiatric medication.
The booklet ‘Psychiatric Medication Information: A Guide for
Patients and Carers’ was produced in 2007. In 2008 the booklet was
translated into 4 other languages: Vietnamese, Chinese, Greek and
Italian.
It is available for all consumers of SVMH. If you would like a copy
of the booklet please speak with your case manager or primary nurse.
Other services may purchase copies of the booklet from STV at cost
price. An order form is located below.
Latest
newsletter for Consumers and Carers
You
can access the following information on the Department of Human
Services website:
Information
for families and carers
How
to access other mental health services in Victoria
Consumer
and carer rights and responsibilities
Mental
illnesses
Psychotropic
medication
Mental
health terminology
Education
and training
The following Australian websites provide online training or education for
mental health consumers and carers:
DepressionNet
GetOnTop
Mental Health First Aid
Panic Online
The Mood Gym (CBT for preventing depression)
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