Better safety technology needed in mental health sector

There are calls for better safety and monitoring technology to be implemented within the NSW mental health system.

Medical staff have said that systemic staffing and skill mix issues in the state need to be urgently addressed.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association’s (NSWNMA) general secretary, Brett Holmes, has called on Minister for Mental Health Tanya Davies to ensure appropriate training and supervision is provided across all mental health settings.

“This is something that cannot continue to be ignored. We need to see solutions far and wide to make sure all patients within mental health units are observed and violence is minimised to reduce the need for seclusion,” Holmes said.

“Far too often a lack of resources, human and otherwise, leads to the use of seclusion to contain violent, aggressive or self-harming patients. This is traumatic for patients and a high-risk activity for nurses and other staff who are required to put it into practice.

“We must ensure the government, ministry and local health districts all understand that additional resources are vital to deliver improvements within mental health units.”

Addressing the NSWNMA 72nd Annual Conference, Davies outlined the government’s current Productive Mental Health Ward program.

“Nurses and midwives are well placed to influence patient safety and quality of care,” she said.

“This initiative puts quality at the heart of health care and empowers the clinical team, in particular the nursing team, to improve the patient experience through leadership, team performance and the delivery of safe, reliable, effective care.”

Davis also discussed the NSW Ministry of Health’s efforts to improve safety and security across the public health system.

“Mental health is an area where, apart from CCTV, very little work has been done on the benefits of technology for patient observation,” said Holmes.

“Millions of us wear technology to monitor our heart rates and activity, yet we are still waiting for a wearable monitor for mental health patients that might reduce stress and sleep disturbance during 15-minute observations which are required around the clock.”