Health Systems (wk4 promB-wk7)

What is mental health?

• A state of mental well being that allows people to cope with stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community

What are mental health impacted by?

• shaped by psychological, biological and social factors

• Genetics and Family history: genetic dispositions can increase vulnerability to mental health conditions like depression

• Brain Chemistry + Hormones: Imbalances in neurotransmitters and hormonal changes can affect mood and behavior

• Physical Health: Chronic illnesses, pain, poor diet, poor sleep, substance abuse, and neurological conditions can contribute to anxiety and depression

• Socioeconomic Status: Poverty, unemployment, social support and financial are strongly linked

• Stigma and Discrimination: Internalised stigma and social prejudice worse mental health outcomes

• Health system access: Limited availability of affordable quality mental health services creates treatment gaps

What does the Biophysical Model of Mental Health suggest?

Suggest that our mental health is influenced by 3 main factors: biological (genetics + brain chemistry), psychological (thoughts and emotions) and social (relationships and cultural influences)

• emphasise how these factors interact, leading to treatments that combines medication, therapy and social support for better care

What is mental health like at infancy & early childhood?

0-5 years

• emotional development begins

• Secure attachment + nurturing relationships are critical

• Risk factors: neglect, abuse, parental mental illness

• About 16% of children aged 4-11 experience a mental health disorder(mostly adhd or anxiety)

What is mental health like at childhood?

6-12 years old

• Development of social skills and coping strategies

• Common issues: ADHD, anxiety, behavioural disorders

• Protective factors: supportive family, positive school environment

1 in 7 children aged 4-17 have a mental health disorder in any given year

What is mental health like at adolescence?

13-18 years old

• identity formation, peer influence

• Increased risk of depression, anxiety and eating disorders

• Stress from academic pressure and social media

• 39.6% of young people from 16-24 experience a mental health condition in a 12 month period

What is mental health like at young adulthood ?

19-35 years old

• transition to independence, career and relationships

• Common issues: anxiety, depression, substance misuse

• Stressors: financial challenges, work life balance

• 1 in 3 adults report high psychological distress

What is mental health like at middle adulthood?

36-64 years old

• Managing family, career, and health responsibilities

• Risk of burnout, chronic stress, and mood disorders

• Protective factors: strong social networks and healthy lifestyle

• About 18% of adults from 35-64 experience a mental health condition annually

What is mental health like at older adulthood?

65+ year old

• coping with retirement, physical decline

• Common issues: depression, anxiety, dementia

• Risk factors: social isolation, chronic illness, loss of independence

• 7.9% of men and 11.1% women at this age have a mental health condition

Access to mental health services: Public

• Funded by the state and territory governments

• Delivered through public hospitals, community mental health teams and specialist programs

Access to mental health services: Private

• provided by private hospitals, psychologists, psychiatrists, and allied health professionals

• Access often requires private health insurance or out of pocket payments

Access to mental health services: Community and Non government orgs

• Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Headspace offers counseling, crisis support and youth mental health programs

Access to mental health services: Digital

• Online platforms and Telehealth consultations have become integral to improving access, especially for rural and remote communities

• MindSpot!

Who are most affected groups in terms of access to mental health services?

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

• CALD communities(Culturally and Linguistically Diverse)

• LGBTQIA+ individuals

• Rural and remote communities

What are some proposed solutions in the struggles of mental health services access?

• Invest in culturally safe services and indigenous health workers

• Expand Telehealth and digital services

• Increase mental health awareness and reduce stigma

• Improve cultural competence training for healthcare workers

What is mental health stigma?

Refers to negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours directed toward individuals experiencing mental health conditions.

Often leads to discrimination, social exclusion and reluctance to seek help

What is public stigma?

societal stereotypes and prejudice (people w/ mental illness are dangerous)

What is self stigma?

Internalised shame and guilt by individuals with mental health conditions

What is structural stigma?

Policies and systems that limits access to care or perpetuate inequality

True or False: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples experience significant health disparities in comparison to non Indigenous Australians,

True

6 Social Determinants of health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

• education

• employment & income

• housing & infrastructure

• access to health services

• racism & discrimination

• food security & nutrition

What is Closing the Gap?

• A national strategy to reduce inequalities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and non Indigenous Australians, especially in health, education, employment and justice

• Aims to improve the health and wellbeing of First Nations Australians so they can enjoy the same life expectancy, QoL, and opportunities as other Australians

True or False: Australia has one of the highest life expectancy (83 years), but for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, life expectancy is around 8 years lower. Trends had said this gap would widen again if progress stalls.

True

What is the Coalition of Peaks?

A representative body made up of 50 aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled peak organisation working across health, education and justice + other sectors that impact the lives of First Nations Peoples.

Cultural Awareness is

• recognising that First Nations Peoples have distinct cultures, histories and traditions

• we focus on learning about cultural differences and acknowledging diversity

• in practice, read about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and protocols

Cultural Competence is

• Developing skills, knowledge and attitudes to interact effectively w/ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients

• Focusing on adapting communication and care to meet cultural needs

• we use appropriate language and involve family in care planning

Cultural safety is

• Creating an environment where First Nations Peoples feel safe, respected and empowered to express identity without fear of discrimination

• Focusing on partnership, trust, and systemic change; requires self-reflection and addressing racism

• In practice, asking the patient what makes them feel safe and incorporating cultural protocol into care

What is AMS?

Aboriginal Medical Services

• Now often called ACCHSs, operates across all states and territories

• They provide primarily healthcare, chronic illness management, maternal and child health and mental health support

• They also now integrate traditional healing practices alongside western medicine

Which health professional represent 24% of the healthcare workforce?

Allied Health Professionals

Which health professional represent 54% of the healthcare workforce?

Nurses

Why are regulations of health workers important?

It’s essential for protective public health and safety. Ensuring all practitioners are qualified, competent and fit to practice, maintaining a consistent standard across Australia

What is NRAS?

a legislative framework established under health practioner regulation national law

• sets out rules and processes for:

• Regulation of health practitioners

• Accreditation of education programs

• Professional standards and notifications

• Governance through National Boards

True or False: NRAS provides legal framework while AHPRA implements it in practice

True

What are National Boards?

The entity responsible for setting professional standards, accrediting education programs and managing notifications

What is CPD?

Continuing Professional Development

• A requirement for practitioners to complete annual learning activities to maintain their skills and knowledge

What are Good Ethics?

Acting in ways that uphold:

• Patient safety and wellbeing(beneficence and non-maleficence)

• Respect for autonomy

• Justice

• Confidentiality

• Integrity and honesty

• Cultural safety

What are Codes of Practice?

Formal guidelines developed by regulatory bodies to ensure ethical and professional standards, these include:

• AHPRA shared code of conduct

• Medical Board of Australia

• Allied Health Codes

Why does Quality and Safety Matter in the Australian Healthcare System?

They ensure that care is effective, patient-centred, and minimises harm. Poor quality and safety practices lead to adverse events, loss of trust, and systemic failures.

Quality in Healthcare

• The degree to which health services increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge.

Safety in Healthcare

The minimisation of risks, harm, and errors to patients during the delivery of healthcare services.

Why do we need national standards?

They are essential in guiding healthcare organisations and professionals in delivering safe, high quality care.

• consistency of care

• Patient safety accountability

What are the NSQHS standards?

A set of nationally agreed requirements that define the minimum level of care all Australian health services must provide.

They cover areas such as clinical governance, infection prevention, medication safety, and partnering with consumers.

Ensures that patient care is safe, effective, and person-centered.

What is the structure of the NSQHS standards?

Organised into several key domains, each focusing on a specific aspect of safety and quality. Each domain contains actions and criteria that health services must meet to demonstrate compliance.

Helps organisations systematically address risks and improve care across all areas of their service.

Who regulated healthcare quality & safety?

• ACSQHC

• State/territory health departments

• Professional Boards like Medical Board of Australia

• Accreditation Agencies

How is compliance with national standards are ensured?

• through an accreditation process where independent agencies assess healthcare organisations based on the NSQHS standards

What is the incident management process?

1. identification

2. Immediate action to reduce risk and harm to the patient

3. Notification

4. Initial assessment and prioritisation

5. Analysis, investigation and classification

6. Action: implementation of recommendations and action plan

7. Feedback

8. System wise learning and sharing

What does incident identification do?

• The first step of recognising when something is wrong. Could be clinical error, equipment failure or a near miss

• Early identification allows prompt action and reduce risk of harm to patient and staff

What does reporting and documentation do?

• Once an incident is identified, it is reported through formal channels. Accurate documentation is essential for tracking trends, meeting legal requirements, and ensuring transparency.

• Reporting systems are designed to be user-friendly and non-punitive, encouraging open communication.

What does investigation and analysis do?

• After reporting, a thorough investigation is conducted to understand what happened and why. This often involves interviews, reviewing records, and analyzing contributing factors.

• The goal is to identify underlying causes rather than assign blame, supporting a culture of learning.

What does system wide learning do ?

• Findings from incident investigations are shared across the organisation to prevent recurrence. Lessons learned may lead to changes in policies, training, or equipment.

• System-wide learning ensures that improvements benefit all patients and staff, not just those directly involved in the incident.

Why is incident management needed?

• It involves identifying and addressing adverse events and near misses through structured processes like root cause analysis to prevent recurrence

What is Open Disclosure?

a process of openly communicating with patients and families about incidents that resulted in harm during healthcare

What is Root Cause Analysis?

A systematic method used to investigate and identify the underlying reasons for an incident and prevent it from happening again.

It could find system issues, communication gaps or process failures, addressing these, orgs can implement changes to reduce the risk of future incident creating a safer environment for staff and patients

What’s an Adverse Event?

An incident that results in harm to a patient as a result of healthcare delivery, not the patient’s underlying condition

What’s a near miss?

An even that could have caused hard but was prevented before reaching the patient

Root Cause Analysis Steps

1. Understanding The Event

2. Gathering information

3. Identifying Contributing Factors

4. Developing Recommendations

5. Implementation Change and Monitoring Outcomes

Why do we learn from incidents?

• Analysing healthcare incidents are crucial because it is enhance further safety of future patients and a good opportunity to improve systematic issues by identifying the weaknesses

What is digital health?

The use of electronic devices and smart devices in healthcare like e records, Telehealth, e-prescription to deliver, manage and improve health services and patient outcomes

What are my health records, Telehealth and electronic prescriptions?

My Health Record

• National, patient controlled digital record of health info like allergies and medication and test results

• Allows patients and health providers share results and clinical notes so noting is missed, esp in emergencies

• relies on data accuracy and active participation

Telehealth

• specialists can consult with rural and remote Australians using digital communication tools

Electronic prescriptions

• Replace paper scripts that can be lost

• Improves communication and linkage between docs, patients and pharmacists

what are eMRs?

Electronic Medical Records

• Digital systems used by individual healthcare orgs to store, manage, and retrieved patient information

• Help reduce paper work, support safer and more coordinated care within a single facility

• Often limited to specific providers or networks so it creates challenges for information sharing across the broader healthcare system

what are eMRs?

Electronic Medical Records

• Digital systems used by individual healthcare orgs to store, manage, and retrieved patient information

• Help reduce paper work, support safer and more coordinated care within a single facility

• Often limited to specific providers or networks so it creates challenges for information sharing across the broader healthcare system

Health Impacts of Heatwaves and Extreme weather

These conditions can cause heat-related illnesses, dehydration, and exacerbate existing health problems, particularly among vulnerable populations such as the elderly and those with chronic diseases.

Healthcare systems must adapt by developing early warning systems, community outreach, and emergency response plans to mitigate the health impacts of extreme weather.

Mental Health and Community Disruption

Climate-related disasters can have profound effects on mental health, leading to increased anxiety, depression, and trauma. Community displacement and loss of livelihoods further compound these impacts.

Healthcare providers must be equipped to address both the immediate and long-term mental health needs arising from environmental disruptions.

What is Planetary Health?

A concept that focuses on the interconnectedness between human health and the health of the Earth’s natural systems.

• recognises that human well being depends on the stability of ecological systems such as climate, biodiversity and water/food source

• Environmental degradation directly impacts health outcomes

Professional Innovation: Change Agent

A professional who actively facilitates, leads or champions change within an organisation or system

• effective change agents are essential for building a responsive and resilient health system

Transformational Leadership

A leadership style that inspires and motivates others to achieve significant change through vision, influence and support

roles and qualities of change agents (4)

• Advocacy

• Collaboration

• Evidence Based Practice

• Resilience

What is AIHI?

Australian Institute of Health Innovation

• At Mq University!

• A globally recognised research institute dedicated to improving healthcare systems, services and policies in Australia and internationally

What is the Gibbs Reflective Cycle?

provides a structured approach to reflection, guiding you through description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action planning. It is widely used for its clarity and focus on actionable outcomes..

What is Schön’s Reflection-in-Action?

Schön distinguishes between reflecting during an activity (in-action) and after it (on-action). Reflection-in-action enables professionals to adapt and respond in real time, enhancing decision-making and problem-solving skills.

What is Kolb’s Experiential Learning?

Kolb’s model emphasises learning through experience, involving concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, and active experimentation. This cyclical process supports deep, adaptive learning.

Principles of Life Long Learning (4)

• Curiosity: Stay open to new ideas and evidence

• Reflection: Regularly assess your practice and identify gaps

• Collaboration: Learn from peers across specialties

• Technology Use: Leverage online courses, webinars and micro learning modules