Question - ACT Health

The unit provides assessment, treatment, and therapeutic intervention for persons with mental health presentations requiring inpatient care with a lower risk of behavioural disturbance, vulnerability, or other issues than persons requiring the more restrictive environment of the AMHU HDU.

The purpose of a specialist mental health rehabilitation service is to deliver effective, interdisciplinary and recovery-based treatment and rehabilitation to people whose needs cannot be met by less intensive community based mental health services. The focus for an admission to AMHRU is on people with moderate to severe mental illness who face challenges living more independently in the community. Priority is given therefore to those who will benefit from rehabilitation services such as people exhibiting signs and symptoms of a First Episode Psychosis and people in the early stage of their illness.

Dhulwa supports a person’s treatment, care and recovery by responding to the needs of people with moderate to severe mental illness who are or are likely to become involved with the criminal justice system and for those civilian people who cannot be treated in a less restrictive environment. 

Gawanggal Mental Health Unit provides medium term, forensic, residential style care for consumers with complex and enduring mental health issues and who require assistance to transition into the community setting.

The Acacia ward provides care for patients in an acute stage of mental illness and/or psychological distress, across the psychiatric diagnostic spectrum.  Patients are predominantly in the 18–65 year-old age range, however the unit will manage patients outside of this age range if appropriate and there is a lack of capacity to be managed elsewhere.

The unit is gazetted under the Mental Health Act 2015 and can accept patients who are detained under the Act. The unit is an open environment and as such does not have a de-escalation suite or a high dependency environment. Any admission is risk assessed for safety and suitability to be managed within the unit environment. 

Patients not meeting the above criteria are assessed on an individual case basis to ensure a safe patient journey and person-centred care is provided.

The patient group serviced by the Older Persons Mental Health Unit (OPMHU) are generally persons aged over 65 years, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 50 years, who may be experiencing issues with mental health. This may be a longstanding mental illness complicated by issues of aging (e.g., multiple medical problems, physical disability, or significant cognitive impairment), or recent onset of mental illness.

Those patients with behavioural disturbances related to delirium are transferred to a medical inpatient setting for appropriate general medical care.

The unit is gazetted under the Mental Health Act 2015 and includes a high dependency area.

Afternoon Shift

Indirect staff until 1600hrs

AMHU

MHSSU

12B

Medical

Consultants x 6

Registrars x 6

Junior Medical Officer (JMO) x 6

Consultants x 6

Registrars x 6

JMO x 6

On call psychiatrist

On call registrar

Nursing

Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) x 1

Nursing Unit Manager (NUM) x 1

Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) x 1

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) coordinator x 1

Clinical Development Nurse (CDN) x 2

Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) x 3

Nurses x 14

Assistant In Nursing (AIN) x 3

ADON x 1

NUM x 1

CNE x 1

ECT coordinator x 1

CND x 2

CNC x 3

Nurses x 14

AIN x 3

Nurses x 10

AIN x 3

Allied Health Manager x 1

Allied Health x 9

AIN x 3

Allied Health Manager x 1

Allied Health x 9

AIN x 3

Office Manager x 1

Facilities Manager x 1

Reception x 4

AMHRU

Medical

Consultant x 1

Registrar x 1

JMO x 1

Consultant x 1

Registrar x 1

JMO x 1

On call Psychiatrist

On call Registrar

Nursing

ADON x 1

CNC x 1

Nursing x 4

ADON x 1

CNC x 1

Nursing x 4

Nursing x 2

Allied Health

Allied Health x 6.4

Allied Health x 6.4

Administration

x 1

x 1 until 4.20pm

Security

Dhulwa

Medical

Consultant x 2

Registrar x 2

JMO x 1

Consultant x 2

Registrar x 2

JMO x 1

Nursing

Nursing x 9

Nursing x 9

Nursing x 8

Allied Health

Allied Health x 4

AIN x 5

Allied Health x 4

AIN x 5

Gawanggal

Medical

Consultant x 2 Registrar x 2 

JMO x 1

Consultant x 2 Registrar x 2

JMO x 1

Nursing

CNC x 1

Nurses x 4

CNC x 1

Nurses x 2

Nurses x 2

Health Services Officers

x 1

x 1

x 1

Allied Health

Staff (FTE) scheduled to each ward –

Morning Shift /Afternoon Shift

Staff (FTE) scheduled to each ward – 

Night Duty

• Registered Nurse L2 x1, 
• Registered Nurse L1 x4, 
• Enrolled Nurse x1
• Psychiatrist 2.2 
• Resident Medical Officer x1 
• Psychologist x 1
• Social Work x 1
• Occupational Therapy x 1

• Registered Nurse L2 x1, 
• Registered Nurse L1 x2, 
• Enrolled Nurse x1
• Medical staff for night duty are covered through the ACT Mental Health crisis service

• Registered Nurse L2 x1, 
• Registered Nurse L1 x2, 
• Enrolled Nurse x1
• Psychiatrist 1.6 
• Registrar x 1 
• Resident Medical Officer x 1
• Psychologist x 1
• Social Work x 1
• Occupational Therapy x 1

• Registered Nurse L2 x1, 
• Registered Nurse L1 x1, 
• Enrolled Nurse x1
• Medical staff for night duty are covered through the ACT Mental Health crisis service

Calvary Public Hospital Bruce 

01/07/2020 – 30/06/2021

Calvary Public Hospital Bruce 

01/07/2020 – 30/06/2021

• 8 Registered Nurses
• 2 Enrolled Nurses

• 7 Registered Nurses
• 2 Enrolled Nurses

• 8 Registered Nurses
• 1 Enrolled Nurses

• 3 Registered Nurses
• 1 Enrolled Nurses