Improving Collaboration Between Private Psychiatrists, the Public Mental Health Sector and General Practitioners: Evaluation of the Partnership Project

Abstract

The Project represented a considered, innovative approach to dealing with poor collaboration between the public mental health sector, private psychiatrists and GPs. The Linkage Unit achieved significant systems-level and cultural change, which has the potential to be sustained. Expanded roles for private psychiatrists, particularly supervision and training, may improve collaboration, and warrant further exploration in terms of costs and benefits.

Lessons from the National Mental Health Integration Program

“…They were positive about improved working relationships with other providers, the chance to learn and share information, and opportunities for using different skills in the context of a new role. 6,8,10,11 Other providers also observed enhanced levels of integration with private psychiatrists. Many commented on their increased ability to refer consumers to private psychiatrists, to jointly share the care of consumers with private psychiatrists, and to have the back-up of private psychiatrists for specialist advice and support.…”

“…These methods and data sources, and the specific findings from the local evaluations have been described in detail elsewhere. 1,6,8,10,11 This paper draws together the findings from the local evaluations, synthesising quantitative data wherever possible, and classifying qualitative data into themes. Comparisons are made across projects, in order to examine similarities and differences between the projects and the lessons learned from each.…”

“…For example, from the perspective of public sector mental health care providers, greater referral options and increased sharing of care also applied to GPs and NGOs. 6,8,10,11 Impacts for consumers and carers Consumers and carers across the three projects commented on the benefits of their involvement in steering committees and advisory groups, noting that their input was respected and helped to shape the projects in positive ways. They were more cautious about describing the impact for consumers and carers at a grass roots level.…”

“…In both absolute and percentage terms, the Illawarra project sat between the other two. 6,8,10,11 In all three projects, participating private psychiatrists experienced greater levels of integration with the public mental health sector, GPs and NGOs. They were positive about improved working relationships with other providers, the chance to learn and share information, and opportunities for using different skills in the context of a new role.…”

“…However, these advantages were not experienced across the board. 6,8,10,11 In addition to the qualitative evaluation of the impact for consumers and carers, public sector providers in two of the projects collected consumer outcome measures, data from which are reported in their individual evaluation reports. It was not possible to synthesise these results here, as differ- Impacts for the wider system…”