Monday, July 20, 2009

Informal (Voluntary) Admissions to a declared mental health facility

In previous posts there has been mention of people with mental illnesses or mental disorders being assessed and transferred by the Bowral Mental Health Service to the declared mental health facilities at Campbelltown Hospital. Some voluntary patients with sub-acute illnesses or disorders may also be accommodated in the Bowral Hospital for brief admissions to re-stabilise them with treatment by medications. However, if there is some potential for increased acuity arising during that hospital stay a decision would be made to consider placing the person in the Campbelltown Hospital mental health units for their safety. All decisions made by the Bowral Mental Health Service are at first approved following phone consultation with the consultant psychiatrists and/or registrars at Campbelltown Hospital. The patient is taken to Campbelltown by the staff of the Bowral Mental Health Service or by their primary carer or other family member. They are seen by the consultant psychiatrist or psychiatric registrar and following their review can be offered admission as an informal (or voluntary) patient. As a voluntary patient the person has the same rights and responsibilities as any other patient in the facility. The definition of an informal(voluntary) patient is: a person who voluntarily remains in a psychiatric hospital; a person who is admitted by their guardian; a person who has been admitted as an involuntary patient and is reclassified through an agreement between the person and the medical superintendent. The criteria for admission as an informal (voluntary) patient is: the medical superintendent needs to be satisfied that the person is likely to benefit from inpatient care and treatment. Reclassifying a patient from informal (voluntary) to involuntary: Where the declared mental health facility decides to detain an informal (voluntary) patient after review: the same rights apply as with any involuntary admission; the same procedures apply as with any involuntary admission but an initial Schedule is not required. Discharge of an informal (voluntary) patient: a voluntary patient may discharge themselves at any time; the declared mental health facility may discharge the person where a decision is taken that they are unlikely to benefit from further inpatient care and treatment; if the person has a legal guardian the declared mental health facility must inform the guardian of the pending discharge. Avenues of review Internal review: a person who has been refused admission as an informal (voluntary) patient may apply to have that decision reviewed by the medical superintendent; a person who has been discharged by the declared mental health facility may apply to have that decision reviewed by the medical superintendent; the medical superintendent must review the decision as soon as practicable. External review: the Mental Health Review Tribunal must review the case of every informal (voluntary) patient who has been in the declared mental health facility for a continuous period of more than 12 months. These cases must be reviewed at least once a year. The Tribunal may order the person's discharge. In the next post the topic of Involuntary Admissions will be featured.

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