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Evaluation of the Victorian Telepsychiatry Program - Executive
Summary (October 1998)
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Introduction
The Victorian Telepsychiatry Program was established in 1996 to
improve access to mental health services for rural Victorians.
The Program funded the establishment of 27 telepsychiatry facilities
located at Area Mental Health Service sites in rural base hospitals,
mental health centres and community-based locations across regional
Victoria, and facilities at six specialist service locations.
The specialist services targeted by the Program were:
- The Mental Health Review Board (MHRB)
- Forensic Mental Health Service
- Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC)
Statewide Service
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) at three
locations: Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Royal Children's
Hospital and Monash Medical Centre.
The Program established linkages of two types:
- Intra-service: from major rural centres such as Bendigo,
to smaller rural communities such as Swan Hill and Kyneton
- Rural-Specialist Service: from rural Victoria to specialist
metropolitan mental health services.
To support the Program, the Mental Health Branch (MHB) in the Department
of Human Services developed a manual: Guidelines for the Use
of Teleconferencing Equipment, which addresses issues of confidentiality,
clinical support, standard of treatment, training, equipment and
infrastructure.
After two years of implementation, the MHB commissioned an independent
evaluation of the Program, focusing on the telepsychiatry locations
funded by the Program. Recommendations arising from the evaluation
address the future development of the Program within the mental
health service system.
The evaluation was performed over an eight week period in early
1998 by the Mental Health Foundation of Australia, in collaboration
with Simsion Bowles & Associates. This project was managed by the
Service Monitoring and Review Unit of the Mental Health Branch of
ACMH.
Objectives of the Evaluation
The objectives of the evaluation were specified in the consultancy
brief as:
"1. To assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the telepsychiatry
program, including the identification and investigation of the range
of service provision issues relevant to both consumers and service
providers.
2. Identify the options available and make recommendations about
the further development of the network within the current funding
parameters. The consultants may also identify issues and make recommendations
which require attention outside the current funding allocations.
3. Identify opportunities for added-value services to other
parts of the health system using this strategic infrastructure resource
including acute, aged and community services. "
Methodology
The methodology reflected the need to cover a wide range of issues
to a depth sufficient to support strategic decision-making. Although
a range of data gathering techniques was used, there was neither
the intention nor the resources to provide the rigorous links between
data and recommendations which would be appropriate for a clinical
study. Recommendations reflect a combination of hard and soft data,
statistical and anecdotal evidence, and the study team's experience
and judgement.
The assessment, evaluation and identification of opportunities
were based on information obtained through a literature review,
interviews, site visits, consumer focus groups, and survey questionnaires.
Initially, the project took a broad view across all mental health
services, and then identified opportunities across the wider health
context of acute, aged and community services.
Updated January 2000
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