Next week, at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) meet for the RANZCP 2023 Congress on the theme of “New Horizons: Connected Futures”
Delegates have been invited to reflect on how interconnectedness is a strength; and connections with each other in personal and professional lives, connections with the diverse cultures in communities, and connection to place with First Nations people.
Looking forward delegates have been asked to consider the next horizon in biological psychiatry and the delivery of evidence-based treatments. They have been asked to consider how the criminal justice system, mental healthcare system, disability sector and drug and alcohol services are interwoven and how to provide care that is integrated, and person centred.
Australian Health Journal spoke to current President-Elect Dr Elizabeth Moore and soon to be President, RANZCP about the Congress, as well as the recent Federal Budget announcements around mental health funding.
The RANZCP has welcomed a number of measures:
- $260.2 million over two years from 2023–24 to extend Commonwealth psychosocial supports for people with severe mental illness who are not in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
- $0.9 million over two years from 2022–23 to develop a 10 Year National Action Plan to support the health and wellbeing of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Asexual (LGBTIQA+) people and establish a LGBTIQA+ Health Advisory Group.
- $40.0 million over 4 years from 2023–24 to establish the National Clinical Quality Registry Program for tracking the safety and performance of treatments and devices, thereby improving performance reporting for clinicians and hospitals.
- $4.9 billion over 5 years from 2022–23 (with $1.3 billion per year ongoing) to increase support for people receiving working age payments including the JobSeeker Payment. As noted in the College’s submission to the Senate Inquiry into poverty in Australia, we urged for an increase to the allowance rate for Australians accessing government-funded payments, including JobSeeker.
However, while there are some positive measures for mental health, RANZCP believe funding has been weighted to wellbeing initiatives and primary care. Australians experiencing the most serious mental health conditions, with severe, complex and chronic presentations have missed out on vital support in this year’s Federal Budget.
A particular group of concern is children. Around 3 in 4 children with a severe mental health disorder are missing out on critical support, according to Dr Moore.
Out of the 80,000 children in Australian with a severe mental health condition, only 22,000 are currently being seen by a psychiatrist, stating the case that more child and adolescent psychiatrists are needed to meet the needs of children.
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Addressing Wound Management
The cost of chronic wounds in Australia is estimated to be $3 Billion per year, impacting 420,000 Australians. Not only is this a national economic concern, but more importantly, is the suffering the person may be going through.
Australian Health Journal met with Hayley Ryan, Board Director and Chair at Wounds Australia and Director at WoundRescue to hear her work in chronic wound management, palliative wounds and pressure injury prevention to comfort those living with a wound.
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Clinical trial site in primary care setting open for novel therapies in psychiatry
Over the past decade, Paratus has been involved in over 200 clinical trials across 4 clinical site locations. Now a fifth site, the newly opened Melbourne site will cater to both primary care and psychiatry, specifically designed for psychedelic studies.
The new Melbourne site will be a focused on primary care studies specifically expanding access to psychiatric research, a growing area of unmet need. Australian Health Journal met with 3 recent hires brought in to support clinical trials across the organisation and in psychiatry in Melbourne.
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The Case for Embedded Pharmacy in Residential Aged Care
Embedded pharmacy in residential aged care has been successful in South Australia at the Tanunda Lutheran Home in the Barossa Valley. Julian Soriano talks about his pharmacy role in medication management and medication safety to deliver the best clinical care for residents.
In this segment, Julian talks about the traditional pharmacy model serving residential aged care and the limitations of the imprest process for dispensing medication. Soon into the project he saw the collaboration required with GPs and onsite nurses in dispensing medication for residents in end-of-life or palliative care. Julian sees the imprest process unable to support end-of-life residents, even being able to check the availability of medication.
But what most may not be aware of, is his rapid growth since starting the business in 2013 having just been in health care a few years earlier. Being part of a 2nd generation health care family, Shawn learnt from his father on site and at trade show visits overseas. Prior to HPA, he spent 2 years working in fit-outs of operating theatres, neo-natal and general population ICU, throughout being more fascinated with what he saw.
