SNPHN News – Oct ’16

SNPHN Tenders now open for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Integrated Team Care Services

Sydney North Health Network (SNHN) would like to invite applications for Integrated Team Care (ITC) Services through a ‘Request for Proposal’ process.

SNPHN is looking to work collaboratively with local organisations and the community to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health access and outcomes in Northern Sydney.

For more information CLICK HERE.

Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs Co-design Workshops

In September, Sydney North Health Network held seven mental health, alcohol and other drugs co-design workshops to inform the commissioning of support services to address these needs in our region.

Co-design is an essential part of the commissioning process at SNPHN. It involves consulting with service users, health professionals and other experts in a particular area to ensure that the redesigning and commissioning of services is well informed and takes on board the views, priorities and concepts put forward.

The information gathered from this collaborative process is then complimented with current literature, the SNPHN Needs Assessment and knowledge of the current services available in our region to inform further service redesign.

The seven co-design workshops were focused around the following priorities:

• Psychological services for underserviced groups
• Psychological services for culturally and linguistically diverse populations
• Child and youth mental health
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health
• Psychological services for perinatal depression
• Suicide prevention services
• Alcohol and other drug treatment services

SNPHN’s co-design workshops were attended by more than 200 people from across the local primary health sector including GPs, allied health providers, service providers, Northern Sydney Local Health District and community members. David Grant, SNPHN General Manager – Commissioning and Partnerships commented “We were extremely happy with the level of engagement and feedback given by those who attended the seven workshops.”

Feedback from the co-design workshops were presented to SNPHN’s Mental Health & AOD Advisory Committee on the 6th of October. “This provided an opportunity to further explore the feedback, refine key service features and to create a shared vision for delivery of primary Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs services in the near future,” David said.

There were a number of key highlights that came out of the co-design workshops. These include:

• Delivery of mental health services should be flexible, and not restricted to one environment or method of delivery.
• Referral pathways should be broad and reflective of the services that consumers already access.
• Commissioned services should be culturally appropriate and welcoming.
• Team-based care practices should be encouraged with support for effective care coordination.

“From October to December, Sydney North Health Network will go out to tender for commissioned mental health and AOD services. This will help to ensure that people in need of mental health and AOD support in the SNPHN region receive better access to the right care in the right place at the right time,” David concluded.

For those who were unable to attend the co-design workshops and would like to have their say, CLICK HERE for the Shape the Future of Mental Health Services survey.

SNPHN Expressions of Interest

1. We are seeking expressions of interest from General Practices to participate in our Person Centred Medical Home program. A Person Centred Medical Home combines the traditional core values of family medicine – providing comprehensive, coordinated, integrated, quality care – that is easily accessible and based on an ongoing relationship between a person and their health care team. Applications close 9 December 2016. CLICK HERE for more information.
2. SNPHN is currently seeking GPs and allied health providers with an interest in digital health technologies to participate in a consultation group to evaluate software solutions to support the delivery of team-based primary care by health providers in our region.  This group will meet to determine the key features required to streamline referral and management workflow processes to support team-based care and improve health outcomes for our community. Initial consultations will centre around evaluating eReferral software solutions for use with the HealthPathways program (joint PHN and LHD initiative), and in evaluating the efficacy of digital health shared care planning tools. Please apply as soon as possible. CLICK HERE for more information.
3. SNPHN are seeking expressions of interest from General Practices who would like to participate in the Primary Care Graduate Nurse Transition Program, being offered in partnership with Primary and Community Care Services (PCCS). With a similar concept to GP registrar training, the Transition Program has been specifically designed for recently graduated Registered Nurses entering primary care directly from university studies. CLICK HERE for more information.