HaDSCO Connect: August 2014
Direct from the Director
Collaborate & Learn – the consumer connection
Collaborate & Learn – the provider perspective
‘Speak up – do something about it’ Indigenous video resource
Regional Access and Awareness Program 2014
HaDSCO Consumer and Carer Reference Group
Mental Health Consumer Perspectives
Mental Health Central Government Agencies
Disability Complaints Data Collection Project
Case study
Need advice?
Direct from the Director
There has been great progress on a number of important projects here at HaDSCO since our last update.
The National Disability and Health Commissioners Conference, held here in Perth during April, provided a valuable opportunity for us to get together and raise a number of issues on the national agenda. Two areas of interest are the review of the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency and the development of a national code of conduct for unregistered health practitioners.
HaDSCO’s online engagement site - Collaborate & Learn, is being accessed by increasing amounts of people following its launch earlier this year. The site, developed to enable consumers and providers to engage in an interactive way, now hosts a variety of individual project pages such as mental health and provides a selection of useful tools and resources.
One of these resources includes the recently completed ‘speak up – do something about it’ indigenous complaints video, which has received some great feedback since its launch in July. The video specifically targets Perth’s indigenous community and features volunteer actors from the Noongar community. Developed in response to the fact that we do not currently receive many complaints from Indigenous consumers, the video is an innovative online resource that will assist HaDSCO to reach out to the Noongar community and we encourage its use as a practical complaints resource. The video was only made possible through the partnership with Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation and I acknowledge and thank them for welcoming us to share their input and knowledge.
Also available on the Collaborate & Learn site is the Overview of Mental Health Complaints Report, which we circulated to you in July. Given that over the past five years HaDSCO has seen an increase in complaints from mental health consumers, we hoped to share valuable information about complaints in the mental health sector through the release of the report. Please feel free to take a look at the report on our Collaborate & Learn site if you have not already done so. We also welcome any feedback you may have on the Collaborate & Learn site.
Continuing with our focus on mental health complaints, we have sustained the momentum started earlier in 2013 with the Mental Health Consumer Forum and resultant report, to develop strong links with key mental health government agencies who receive complaints. The Partnership Agreement we are currently developing with these agencies will provide us with a great foundation from which to look at current complaint processes, with the opportunity to streamline processes for consumers, cares, families and providers. HaDSCO has committed to taking a leadership role with this work.
The HaDSCO Consumer Carer and Reference Group (CCRG) is now well into their planned series of meetings, having been consulted with on a variety of subjects. I would like to thank all consultative group members for their continued support, especially in terms of our rebranding process, where their feedback and suggestions on how we can improve our current publications suite have proved to be invaluable in representing consumer, carer and family perspectives.
Looking into the future, HaDSCO will be taking on an important role by contributing to the review of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Given the role of AHPRA; to protect the public and set the standards and policies that all registered health practitioners must adhere to, this will form a core project for us.
Collaborate & Learn – the consumer connection
HaDSCO’s dedicated online engagement platform Collaborate & Learn was launched earlier this year and is available to access now.
The site, available publically for all to view, was created to provide opportunities for consumers and providers of health and disability services, within Western Australia (WA), to engage in an interactive way. In line with our vision of ‘empowering users and providers to collaboratively improve health and disability services’, the site enables both consumers and providers to come together and share information on a broad range of complaint issues and work towards system improvements.
It allows users to access a variety of tools, resources and topics relating to HaDSCO’s services and provides ample opportunity for feedback and discussions on key areas. If you haven’t already done so, check it out here.
To date, projects that are up and running include a dedicated mental health page, where a series of consumer perspectives videos can be viewed, as well as a Consumer & Carer Reference Group page, where the role of the group and the important work they do is highlighted.
We will continue to update the Collaborate & Learn site with key news and developments moving forwards so be sure to watch this space. We look forward to engaging with you on a broad range of projects in the near future through use of the site. If you have any suggestions about topics or areas you would like to see included on Collaborate & Learn contact Tahlia Jones Assistant Director, Strategic Services and Community Engagement on (08) 6551 7620 or email yoursay@hadsco.wa.gov.au.
Collaborate & Learn – the provider perspective
In addition to the publically available site, we have also created a number of area specific pages for closed provider groups, where a variety of information, including complaints data is available in an interactive format.
These groups include our prescribed providers – including both health and disability, and also the Department of Health. Each group has an area specific page that contains information that is relevant to them and their area of work, with information presented in an interactive and user friendly format.
For each of these groups key agency contacts have already been established and provided with access, but if you fall within these categories and would like further information please contact Tahlia Jones Assistant Director, Strategic Services and Community Engagement on (08) 6551 7620 or email yoursay@hadsco.wa.gov.au.
‘Speak up – do something about it’ Indigenous video resource
As part of NAIDOC week celebrations held during July, HaDSCO released a targeted indigenous complaints video ‘Speak up – do something about it’, starring members of Perth’s Noongar community.
The short video, developed in partnership with Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation, was created to help raise awareness of HaDSCO’s services, and to help community members better understand how we can assist them with their complaints about health and disability services.
Centred around the slogan ‘Speak up – do something about it’, the video aims to reinforce the key message that it’s okay to complain, as through raising a complaint, problems can be highlighted and improvements made. Real life examples of the types of situations or scenarios that might give rise to complaints are covered in the video, with some familiar faces making an appearance.
We would like to thank Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation and all those that feature in the video for volunteering their time – It would not have been possible without you! This project has enabled us to build an important partnership with Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation and this is something we will look to continue. Future projects will enable us to reach out to other organisations in the health, disability and mental health sectors, in both metropolitan and regional WA, and we welcome opportunities to do so.
The video can be viewed via our Collaborate & Learn site here.
Or via YouTube here.
We are actively encouraging organisations to display and use the video resource where possible. This could be by including links to the video from organisation websites and social media pages. If you would like to receive a copy of the video please email katy.lawton@hadsco.wa.gov.au.
Regional Access and Awareness Program 2014
HaDSCO’s services are available to people throughout Western Australia, covering a mix of both metropolitan and regional areas. Reaching people in regional areas has its own set of challenges in terms of access and resources, so each year in partnership with the Ombudsman, we take part in the Regional Access and Awareness Program to better engage with consumers and providers in these areas.
The program provides a great opportunity to visit communities that we otherwise would not get direct access to. It enables us to build and strengthen relationships with community groups and service users and help promote the work of HaDSCO.
This year the program ran from Wednesday 30 July – Friday 1 August at various venues across Kalgoorlie. Representatives from HaDSCO, the Ombudsman Western Australia, Commonwealth Ombudsman and Energy and Water Ombudsman took part in the visit to promote the work that they each do.
As part of this, HaDSCO was on hand to answer any questions or concerns about health or disability service complaints at a number of complaint clinics. Additionally HaDSCO met with key health and disability providers to raise awareness of the office and discuss future projects and initiatives, in what ended up being a very worthwhile visit.
HaDSCO Consumer and Carer Reference Group
The Consumer and Carer Reference Group has been busy providing support and feedback to HaDSCO on a number of key projects since the establishment of the group in March this year.
To date there have been two meetings where the group, along with HaDSCO representatives, thrashed out the group’s terms of reference and a comprehensive forward planning document, and worked through HaDSCO’s complaint resolution practise standards, before embarking on a substantial publications review and awareness raising project.
Input from the group has been invaluable in terms of understanding consumer, carer and family perspectives and we thank them for their continued commitment. Further information on the work of the group can be found on our Collaborate & Learn website here.
Consumer and Carer Reference Group members and HaDSCO representatives poised for action
Mental Health Consumer Perspectives
In March earlier this year HaDSCO released the eagerly anticipated Mental Health Consumer Perspectives Report looking at consumer, carer and family experiences of making a complaint about mental health service providers.
As a direct result of the consumer, carer and family mental health perspectives forum held at the end of 2013, the report combined a wealth of information having enabled participants to talk honestly and openly about their experiences making a complaint about mental health services.
The report also included three key recommendations for service providers to help improve sector-wide management of mental health complaints. These centred on the need to communicate clearly, engage respectfully and ensure key agency collaboration throughout.
The report was circulated widely and feedback received indicated a great deal of support for further conversations like this in the mental health arena taking place.
Additionally, with the help of a number of volunteer actors, HaDSCO also created a series of short videos to bring to life a selection of consumer and carer case studies, to support the report recommendations.
Both the report and subsequent videos are available to view on HaDSCO’s online engagement site Collaborate & Learn, where a dedicated mental health page has been established.
Mental Health Central Government Agencies
One of the three recommendations from the Mental Health Consumer Perspectives Report was for government agencies to work together to improve the process of making a complaint. In response, HaDSCO held a session with various ‘central government’ agencies across the mental health sector to look at how best to address this.
The initial session provided an opportunity for these agencies to come together to outline their roles and responsibilities when managing mental health complaints, and to help foster a greater understanding of the system overall.
From this session, we have since commenced work with the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist, Council of Official Visitors, Mental Health Commission and the Office of Mental Health - all with statutory responsibilities in mental health. These agencies are currently developing a Partnership Agreement which is intended to be signed off by each of the agencies. The Agreement will outline the principles that each agency will commit to when managing complaints, as well as a clear process for consumers to follow when making a complaint.
Disability Complaints Data Collection Project
Since our last update we have continued to work with a group of disability service providers to develop a consistent method for collecting information about disability complaints.
The group of 20 participating providers commenced complaints data collection in the agreed new format on 1 July 2014. To assist with this process, we gave each provider access to an online complaints register which enables them to record, update and track complaints online.
The purpose of the data collection process is to identify broad trends and systemic issues that relate to all, or a proportion of, disability service providers. The data collection process also gives us the opportunity to work collaboratively with providers to improve complaints management processes and service delivery in the disability sector.
We look forward to meeting again with the group in September 2014 to discuss their feedback about the new data collection process.
If you are a disability service provider in Western Australia and would be interested in participating in this project, please contact us on (08) 6551 7620 or via email mail@hadsco.wa.gov.au.
Case study
We have provided an overview of the type of compliant we might receive here at HaDSCO - Please see below:
George needed his medications to be reviewed so his GP referred him to see a psychiatrist. Upon arrival at the psychiatrist’s office, he was assessed by a triage clinician. George felt that the triage clinician was rude and was asking irrelevant confidential information. George only wanted to talk to the psychiatrist. He did not want to disclose his personal information to non-treating staff members. George informed the triage clinician that he only wanted to talk to the psychiatrist which led to the triage clinician leaving the room.
George was later offered an appointment with the psychiatrist and was informed that this appointment would be attended by the triage clinician. George re-iterated that he only wanted a private appointment and this lead to his appointment being cancelled.
George’s objectives were to:
- Receive a private appointment with the psychiatrist;
- Receive an apology for being denied access to treatment; and
- Ensure that the provider was more considerate when providing services to consumers.
Outcomes from the complaint
We discussed George’s complaint with both George and the provider. The provider explained that several members of staff can be involved in one person’s care because of the need to follow up on treatment as well as to ensure a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. George insisted that he did not want his personal information to be shared with non-treating staff.
Despite their differences, George and the provider agreed to meet so they could work together to resolve the matter. The provider welcomed the opportunity to address George’s concerns and George was satisfied because he knew that he could contact HaDSCO for assistance if he and the provider were unable to resolve this issue.
Need advice?
Complaints are often perceived in a negative light, but we see them differently.
At HaDSCO we view complaints as an opportunity to improve. As an independent statutory body our remit of work is vast and our goal huge. We seek to empower users and providers to collaboratively improve health, including mental health, and disability services.
We offer a free, impartial and confidential complaints resolution service to people across WA and the Indian Ocean Territories, working with both service users, including carers and family members, and providers. Through our various complaint resolution processes we are able to assist service users and providers to reach agreed outcomes, leading to the continued improvement of health and disability services overall.
If you, or someone you know has a complaint about a health or disability service and would like advice or guidance, please contact HaDSCO on (08) 6551 7600 Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm or email mail@hadsco.wa.gov.au.
