Insight into local mental health care facilities will be gathered through a new carer survey as well as from consumers, who will now be able to submit feedback online.
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Member for Lismore Thomas George said the two new initiatives are an Australian-first set to transform the patient experience across NSW, providing accurate and timely feedback to the North Coast and Hunter New England Local Health Districts about the services they provide.
It will ultimately improve the care for people living with mental illness, Mr George said.
“Through extensive consultation with the public and local health districts the NSW Government has improved on-the-ground mental health services across the electorate, most recently in Tenterfield and Lismore.”
Following several meetings with Tenterfield’s social, emergency and health services Mr George said the installation of a tele-health system at the hospital has been fast-tracked.
“Once this technology is operational, one of the benefits will be people who present to the hospital experiencing a mental episode will be able to be assessed via a video-link by crisis mental health physician from a major health centre.
“Feedback from members of our community and their carers who come into contact with these mental health services is essential so we can continue to improve the care electorate wide.”
Over the next two years the NSW Government will invest $180,000 in the new Carer Experience Survey (CES) and $280,000 for the electronic patient survey.
Minister for Mental Health Tanya Davies said all mental health services across the state will receive regular reports outlining not only what consumers have to say, but how carers found their interaction with staff and the service as a whole.
“The NSW Government is proud to become the first state to roll out a carer survey for mental health services, in addition to making the Your Experience of Service (YES) more accessible to patients by going online,” Mrs Davies said.
Consumers can access the new online eYES survey on their mobile phone or computer. All information collected through the survey will be strictly confidential in accordance with NSW Health policy.
For more information or to complete the survey go to www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/pages/eYES.aspx.