Supporting mental health consumers – recommendations for dietetic service provision and models of care
Donna Fingland1, Jenna Stonestreet1, Amy Hannigan2, Kylie Garrick3, Ellen Heads4, Fiona Hall5 1Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia2Queensland Eating Disorder Service and Mental Health Services, Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia3Allied Health Services, Metro North Mental Health Services, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia4Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Caboolture Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia5Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer, Queensland Health, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The parliamentary inquiry (2022) into opportunities to improve mental health outcomes for Queenslanders recommended the integration of dietitians within the mental health alcohol and other drugs (MHAOD) workforce to provide more holistic care and reduce comorbidity rates and early mortality from physical disease. Dietitians have a vital role in the provision of comprehensive and evidence-based care for people living with a mental illness requiring nutrition interventions for chronic disease, malnutrition and eating disorder management.
AIM: To support the inquiry recommendation, a capacity building project aimed to define the type and amount of dietetics services available and required for MHAOD consumers across the life span, including recommendations for staffing and models of care.
METHODS: Data on current funded and non-funded dietitian positions and models of care for nutrition and dietetic services in inpatient, residential and community mental health settings were collected by the project officer. A combination of surveys and individual interviews was used with participants including Directors of Allied Health and Dietetics, and Dietitians working with mental health consumers within metropolitan, regional, rural and remote services across Queensland.
RESULTS: 19 surveys and 55 individual interviews were completed. Findings highlight MHAOD consumers experience inequity in accessing dietetic services and a range of service delivery models are used within MHAOD Services. A guidance document has been developed including recommendations for dietetic service provision and models of care within Queensland MHAOD services. It is projected that other allied health professions may benefit from similar service reviews and guidance document development.
Biography
Donna Fingland is an Accrediting Practising Dietitian at The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane. Donna has worked within public health providing evidenced based, patient centred care to patients across the age span living with a mental health condition including patients diagnosed with an eating disorder, patients requiring support for malnutrition or management of chronic disease and children requiring support for growth and development. She practices through curiosity and respect to identify patient/MDT goals, address any barriers and empower people in achieving these goals. Donna displays a high level of empathy and collaboration between the patient, their family/carers and medical teams.