General Practitioners across Australia are seeing an increase in clients with serious mental health issues. GP Access is a psychosocial model that provides support options for the GP sector and the increasing number of people who see a GP for the clinical management of their mental illness. GP Access is part of Community Mental Health Programs at Uniting Care Wesley Port Adelaide. It employs a team of community support workers who work one on one with consumers on a holistic approach to their mental health needs. The service has been well received by people with a serious mental illness, GPs and specialists MHS. People receiving support from GP Access experience a significant reduction in their unmet needs which significantly contributes to the avoidance of hospital admissions, and supports their recovery journey without having to access specialist MHS. As specialist MHS continues to exit and transfer people to GP care, or where acute services look to options other than MHS care coordination for the clinical management and psychosocial support of people, a model such as GP Access may be exactly what’s needed. This presentation will describe this innovative program model and outcomes in individual recovery. It will feature findings from interviews with key stakeholders such as GP’s, along with case studies from consumers who receive support.

The aim of the presentation is to explore accountability and quality in mental health nursing practice. Accountability is an important aspect of nursing practice as it can improve quality of patient care by ensuring the standards of practice are upheld. An example of ‘best practice’ and quality care is the development of a mental health care plan in collaboration with the patient. There is evidence that mental health care plans are not developed, timely updated and/or implemented in SA country mental health teams.

A literature review on accountability and quality of care indicated there is little knowledge on the relationship between clinician’s perception of accountability and care planning practices. However, available research shows the work environment can influence how accountability is understood and practiced (Manual and Crowe 2014) and so there is a need for workplace clarity on what accountability is and how it can work in daily mental health nursing practice, such as through care planning.

The enactment of accountability is affected by internal and external factors and there are tensions between these elements which affect the decision making in the process (Freeman et al. 2009). To facilitate quality mental health care there is a need to understand these ‘accountability dilemmas’ and how it is played out in everyday nursing.

Nurses’ health is of vital importance to the overall wellbeing of the health industry, now and for the future.
Since its inception in 2006 the Nursing & Midwifery Health Program Victoria (NMHP), a unique support service established by nurses, specifically for nurses, midwives and students of nursing and midwifery, has supported individual nurses to address their sensitive health needs relating to their mental health challenges and/or substance use issues. It is the only service model of its kind in the country.
The NMHP works to assist in reducing the shame and stigma associated with these issues. It is a case management model which provides information, advice, treatment and support. It partners the participant to build resilience and develop strategies to sustain their valued careers. It advocates for, and provides resources to, nurses and midwives with the skills to remain engaged in an ever changing workforce.
The NMHP is underpinned by a strong peer support model which promotes, values and enables consumer engagement.
This documentary showcases a courageous and powerful disclosure by a nurse who was experiencing a period of 'tough times' in her life. It illustrates how the NMHP, with the use of a strength based case management model, can positively contribute to nurses and midwives restoring their health, improving self-worth and experiencing psychological recovery.
The NMHP will be represented by Natalie Spencer, NMHP Case Manager, and Danielle, a NMHP consumer, through a multimedia forum.

The involvement of consumers in teaching mental health to nurses and other health professionals appears to have increased over recent decades. The telling of story is a common way consumers contribute to the education process, and frequently what they are requested to do. The use of story is not without controversy, yet despite this there is a paucity of research exploring its use and impact. This paper presents findings from a qualitative exploratory study of consumer participation in mental health nursing education in Australia from the perspectives of consumer educators and mental health nurse academics. Story was identified as a major theme. Nurses generally described story as a powerful learning tool which enhanced student empathy. This view was shared by some consumer participants, however with much greater critique including the sub-themes vulnerability and contention; and expectation of the role. Achieving the goal of genuine and effective consumer participation in the education of health professionals requires critical analysis of the story as a learning tool and philosophical approach. This paper makes an important contribution to commencing these discussions.