UPDATE

Mental Health

Psychiatric Emergency Nurses (PENs)

The ANMF have been continuing discussions with management regarding parameters around a proposed trial of the PEN position in the Mental Health Short Stay Unit (MHSSU). On 6 August 2020, ANMF officials met with Mental Health Services management to discuss a new version of the draft trial. At this meeting the ANMF disagreed with the new draft trial proposal as it did not detail any specific parameters and failed to address the key concerns that have been continuously raised by members. Mental Health Services management agreed to develop a further draft trial document that would address these concerns. The ANMF are now waiting for Mental Health Services management to present a third draft trial document that will provide for coverage of meal breaks in the MHSSU, planned and unplanned leave and a more detailed plan around the collection of data in the MHSSU and in the Emergency Department during the trial period.

Mental Health Inpatient Unit (MHIU)

The ANMF have been advised that the move to K-Block has been completed for the Mental Health Inpatient Unit (MHIU), formally the Department of Psychiatry (DoP).

Concerns have been raised in relation to a plan to switch off the nurse’s station live feed of the HDU cameras that are situated in patient’s bedrooms. Cameras have been operational with a live feed to the nurse’s station for the past 15 years. The concerns that have been raised are in relation to the affect this may have on clinical care and safety of the patients. An email has been sent to all MHIU members and a copy is also available here.

Completion of the Nursing Hours per Patient Day (NHpPD) model is expected within the next month, with sign off expected to occur at the next Safe Staffing Meeting due to be held on 11 September 2011. At a Statewide Mental Health Services Industrial Forum meeting held Wednesday 12 August, ANMF were advised that there will be increases in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) clinical nursing hours across all three services in Tasmania: Spencer, Northside and Mental Health Inpatient Unit. ANMF have been advised that recruitment to fill these additional positions will commence immediately.

Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT)

The ANMF met with members from Southern Tasmania Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT) sites on 6 August 2020, to discuss  concerns in relation to work being done by the Tasmanian Mental Health Reform Project  (TMHRP) working groups. A formal letter has been sent from the ANMF, on behalf of members, to Executive Director Mental Health Services Adie Gibbons. The ANMF requested a response to this letter by 21 August 2020. Once a response has been received a further meeting will be arranged and a summary of the response will be provided via Newsflash. A summary of the ANMF letter was sent to members via email on 13 August 2020 and a copy is also available here.