Clients make remarkable recovery to enjoy family and children again

Two clients of the Mental Health Integrated Complex Care (MHICC) program delivered by North and West Remote Health (NWRH) have turned their lives around in the past financial year due to the extraordinary efforts of clinicians.

NWRH MHICC Program Team Leader Damien Gott said the remarkable progress of the clients was particularly satisfying for team members and are just two examples of the many great outcomes that have been achieved as part of the program funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network.

One client experienced severe mental illness, exacerbated by complex domestic circumstances and drug and alcohol concerns.

“The MHICC nurse liaised with multiple support services, including supporting the client to engage with the Queensland Police Service and safe shelter, drug and alcohol support, Centrelink, medical support for a serious medical condition, and engaging in employment,” Mr Gott said.

“The nurse sought assistance from several local businesses that were able to support the family. The client also began to repair family relationships that were able to support the client in their recovery.”

The client was now:

• on a Department of Housing waiting list
• not using substances
• fully employed
• taking part in healthy activities with children and family.

Mr Gott said the second client also experienced long term mental health concerns (PTSD, depression, and anxiety), complicated by issues with alcohol, unemployment, and strained family relationships.

“Since leaving their career they had held and lost jobs, navigated long term issues with depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and issues with alcohol. They had had various levels of engagement with mental health support services,” Mr Gott said.  

Mr Gott said a MHICC Credentialed Mental Health Nurse helped the client receive a PTSD diagnosis and also assisted the client with:

• linking with a psychiatrist
• linking with advocates
• support in managing depressive and PTSD episodes and anger  
• rebuilding relationships with children and family.

MHICC services are designed to support adults experiencing severe, complex, and chronic mental illness. Funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN), the program offers a wide range of services including complex care coordination, family support, and recovery planning. The program can support adults from all walks of life and life circumstances including Defence Veterans, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) clients, and LGBTQI+. MHICC services walk clients through the mental health system and link with other agencies, health, and support services and can support family members as well.

MHICC Mental Health Nurses apply a stepped care approach based on clinical measures with clients able to move between mental health programs as and when required.

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) has worked with National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) to deliver vital spirometry training courses in Mackay, Townsville, and Cairns.

In the latest workshops in Mackay, Senior Respiratory Scientist Darren Smith, and facilitators Kellie Strickland and Gabbi Schaffer provided spirometry training as part of the Asthma Best Practice for Health Professionals Program.

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Robin Whyte said the course provided comprehensive training in the application, measurement, and interpretation of expiratory spirometry in general practice.

“The six-hour interactive workshop included a practical, hands-on component to allow participants to apply their new knowledge in a practical setting,” said Ms Whyte.

Learning outcomes included:

• identifying the clinical indications where spirometry is recommended
• demonstrating the ability to correctly perform a spirometry test, using role play and peer review
• interpreting spirometry results to differentiate between respiratory conditions, such as asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• assessing your own practice quality assurance procedures for spirometry.

Mr Smith said the workshops were developed by NAC with presenters using NAC content.

“These invaluable workshops are provided free to participants by NAC with funding from the Department of Health and Aged Care and are designed to ensure that health care workers in even the most remote locations have access to education in the art of spirometry,” said Mr Smith.

“To date, over 28,000 health care workers, including nurses and GPs, have completed workshops across Australia.

“The goal of the NAC workshops is to impart the skills needed to perform accurate spirometry in the community. These skills will enable primary health care centres the ability to detect lung disease sooner, allowing earlier intervention, better management, and overall better health outcomes for patients.”

Practice Nurse Jane Stephens said she had been trying for a long time to attend one of the courses.

She said it was very valuable and “blew my mind”.

“We were shown how to diagnose by doing the testing. It was easy to understand. I was so excited by the end of the course to start using the skills, it was so interesting,” said Ms Stephens.

She said the tests, usually a minimum of three tests, “very easily” diagnosed COPD and asthma.

After returning to her practice following the training, Ms Stephens was able to provide high quality spirometry testing for a doctor, resulting in one patient’s management being altered to better suit their diagnosis.

“It was one of the best courses I have done, and I want to do the course again in six months as I will have so many questions,” said Ms Stephens.

Workshops were held in Cairns (18 participants), Townsville (19 participants), and Mackay (12 participants).

The educational workshop, supported by NQPHN, highlighted the importance of a nurse’s role in identifying, screening, and managing osteoporosis in primary care, ‘The Big O’ national awareness campaign and its impact on practices, and the mobile bone densitometry service ‘The Bone Bus’.

The event was held at Stratford Library in Cairns on Tuesday 8 November and focused on proactive osteoporosis health screening in primary care, specialised knowledge and skills for general practices, and education and training development for North Queensland nurses. A number of practices have since engaged Karen’s free osteoporosis service to advance their bone health quality improvement activities.

Practices seeking to develop their osteoporosis activities can contact Karen Kemp at k.kemp@reframeosteoporosis.com.au or 0491 693 755.

Dedicated and highly qualified GP Dr Lisa Fraser has been appointed Northern Queensland Primary Health Network’s (NQPHN's) new Clinical Council Independent Chair. 

The Gordonvale doctor replaces Dr Konrad Kangru, of Proserpine, who was appointed to NQPHN’s Board in July. 

NQPHN Board Co Chairs Tara Diversi and Ben Tooth said the Board was delighted that Dr Fraser had accepted the role. 

“We are so fortunate that a GP with Dr Fraser’s calibre, knowledge, and compassion will lead our vital Clinical Council which provides the NQPHN Board’s Clinical Governance Committee with contemporary advice on local health needs and priorities ensuring that there is an appropriate evidence base to regional commissioning, specifically, planning and design of services, stakeholder engagement, and continuing development and refinement of the Health Needs Assessment (HNA),” they said. 

“The Clinical Council provides a critical overview of the NQPHN regions to ensure that overall investment is in line with the regional HNA. 

“Membership of the council is comprised of GPs, allied health professionals, mental health clinicians, First Nations people health professionals, community/practice nurses, and public health/health promotion representatives. The council meets three times a year. 

“We look forward to working closely with Dr Fraser in her new role on our Clinical Council.” 

Dr Fraser is a director, practice principal and full-time GP at Gordonvale Family Medical Centre with particular interests in public, sexual, mental, occupational, paediatrics, and women’s health as well as medical education and research. 

Dr Fraser has more than 15 years’ healthcare experience and graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the University of Queensland in 2006. She also holds a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and is currently a member of the RACGP Queensland Council and the Australian Medical Association of Queensland (AMAQ) Council of GPs. 

“I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the effective delivery of patient-centred primary care in my home community and learn more about NQPHN. I am passionate about improving healthcare access for all people and improving the navigation of, and coordination of, services,” said Dr Fraser. 

“I understand the importance of culture as it drives engagement and change. In my own practice, developing a culture of safety and positivity has lifted engagement and quality of care. 

“I can assess complex primary care issues and suggest strategic approaches. 

“I have an appreciation of the health and social issues affecting the First Nations people, farming and local occupations, geographic challenges, low socio-economic situations, and the cultural barriers to better health.”