An evaluation of an Australian initiative designed to improve interdisciplinary collaboration in primary mental health care

Justine Fletcher; Kylie King; Jo Christo; Anna Machlin; Bridget Bassilios; Grant Blashki; Chris Gibbs; Angela Nicholas; Jane Pirkis

doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2014.03.002

An evaluation of an Australian initiative designed to improve interdisciplinary collaboration in primary mental health care

Eval Program Plann. 2014 Aug:45:29-41. doi: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2014.03.002. Epub 2014 Mar 11.

Authors

Justine Fletcher¹, Kylie King², Jo Christo³, Anna Machlin⁴, Bridget Bassilios⁵, Grant Blashki⁶, Chris Gibbs⁷, Angela Nicholas⁸, Jane Pirkis⁹

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: justine.fletcher@unimelb.edu.au.
² Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: k.king@unimelb.edu.au.
³ Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: jchristo@unimelb.edu.au.
⁴ Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: amachlin@unimelb.edu.au.
⁵ Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: b.bassilios@unimelb.edu.au.
⁶ Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: gblashki@unimelb.edu.au.
⁷ Mental Health Professionals Network, PO Box 203, Flinders Lane, Victoria 8009, Australia. Electronic address: c.gibbs@mhpn.org.au.
⁸ Mental Health Professionals Network, PO Box 203, Flinders Lane, Victoria 8009, Australia. Electronic address: angnic12@hotmail.com.
⁹ Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: j.pirkis@unimelb.edu.au.

PMID: 24698982
DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2014.03.002

Abstract

This paper reports on a multi-component evaluation of Australia's Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN). MHPN aims to improve consumer outcomes by fostering a collaborative clinical approach to primary mental health care. MHPN has promoted interdisciplinary communication and networking through activity in three inter-related areas: interdisciplinary workshops supported by education and training materials; fostering ongoing, self-sustained interdisciplinary clinical networks; and a website, web portal (MHPN Online) and a toll-free telephone information line. The evaluation showed that MHPN's workshops were highly successful; almost 1200 workshops were attended by 11,930 individuals from a range of mental health professions. Participants from 81% of these workshops have gone on to join ongoing, interdisciplinary networks of local providers, and MHPN is now supporting these networks in a range of innovative ways to encourage them to become self-sustaining and to improve collaborative care practices.

Keywords: Collaborative care; Interdisciplinary network; Mental health; Primary care.

MeSH terms

Australia
Cooperative Behavior
Health Services Research
Humans
Inservice Training / organization & administration
Interdisciplinary Communication*
Mental Health Services / organization & administration*
Patient Care Team / organization & administration
Primary Health Care / organization & administration*
Program Evaluation / methods*
Social Networking