Document NumberAllocated after endorsement

Mental Health Justice Health Alcohol and Drug Services (MHJHADS)

Standard Operating Procedure

Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team – General Practitioner Faxing and Information Sharing

Purpose

To provide CATT staff with a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to promoting improvements in service delivery by enhancing continuity of care through more regular communication with GPs and other members of treating teams, external to MHACT.

Scope

This SOP pertains to all staff members who are employed in CATT.

Procedure

Faxing to GPs and other external health care providers

  1. Wherever possible, all consumer notes completed by CATT clinicians should be faxed to the person’sGeneral Practitioners/Psychiatrists/other external health care providers (e.g private psychologist) as part of treating team
  1. Clinical notes should to be placed in out tray labelled "Faxing for ASO" which the CATT Administrative Service Officer (ASO) will fax as part of normal daily duties.
  1. Any urgent information required by other health or emergency services to be provided by clinicians as per Mental Health, Justice Heatlh, Alcohol and Drug Services Policy & Standard Operating Procedure: Confidentiality and Privacy
  1. It is the responsibility of clinicians to print these notes for faxing (including coversheet, which can be taken from the GP Fax proforma found on Mhagic) and most likely occurring following the morning or afternoon handover meetings, but preferably after the clinician has completed their note or full assessment. The clinician is also responsible for correctly documenting the Occasion of Service as a GP/Psychiatrist contact.
  1. To ensure that GPs are provided with succinct, easily understood information, only file notes or the Problem Formulation (e.g. summary of assessment usually found in “Summary section” of a Full Assessment on Mhagic) should be faxed, rather than say the complete Full Assessment document.
  1. In line with regular practice, it remains the responsibility of clinicians to ascertain, where possible, the name of GP, GP practice etc and update this on the MHAGIC GP list. Where a GP is not on the list or has changed practice details, a notification should be made to the MHAGIC IT Support Team so that they can make amendments to the list as required
  1. In accordance with Mental Health ACT: Confidentiality and Privacy Policy, CATT ASO will contact each practice prior to faxing to ensure:

(a) The recipient's name, telephone and fax number and authority to receive the information are confirmed by telephone prior to faxing the information.

(b) That the receiver is at the other end waiting and acknowledges the arrival of the fax.

7. Wherever possible, mental health assessments should be faxed to GPs and other members of treating team for every discrete episode of CATT contact with their people(not solely for new presentations or full assessments) or where there has been major changes in their management or medication. This does not include case-managed people, unless in exceptional circumstances, as it is the responsibility of the clinical manager to provide information to external parties as required.

Evaluation

Outcome Measures

  • Clinical Documentation Audit

Method

  • As part of monthly Clinical Documentation Audit, CATT Team Leader will review notes to ensure information collected, provided and individual consent obtained, as appropriate

Related Legislation, Policies and Standards

Legislation

Mental Health Act 2015

Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997

The Human Rights Office interpretation of ACT Health Records and Privacy legislation

Policies

ACT Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services Policy: Confidentiality & Privacy

ACT Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services Standard Operating Procedure: Confidentiality & Privacy

ACT Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services Policy: Rights and Responsibilities of Consumers, Carers and Service Providers.

Standards

National Standards for Mental Health Services.

Definition of Terms (only use this section if needed, delete if not needed)
References
Attachments

Disclaimer: This document has been developed by Health Directorate, <Name of Division/Branch/Unit> specifically for its own use. Use of this document and any reliance on the information contained therein by any third party is at his or her own risk and Health Directorateassumes no responsibility whatsoever.

Doc Number / Version / Issued / Review Date / Area Responsible / Page
1.0 / Nov 2012 / December 2018 / MHJHADS / 1 of 3
Do not refer to a paper based copy of this policy document. The most current version can be found on the ACT Health Policy Register