I P R A
Independent Patient Rights Advisers

The Mental Health Act 2016 establishes the positions of Independent Patient Rights Advisers.  A key function of these positions is to advise patients and their nominated support persons, family, carers and other support persons of their rights under the Act.  The positions play a very important role in liaising between clinical teams, patients and support persons.
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Contact - Sunshine Coast:  07 5470 5546

Click on "More information" for a pdf flyer about IPRA.  A web search will also provide access to further information. 
Nominated
support
​​person
Benefits of having a nominated support person

If you become an involuntary patient under The Mental Health Act 2016 your nominated support person can assist you by:
  • receiving all notices that are required to be given to you under the Act
  • discussing confidential information about your treatment and care with your treating team
  • supporting you, or representing you, at hearings of the Mental Health Review Tribunal
  • requesting a psychiatrist report if you were to be charged with a serious offence.
You may appoint one or two nominated support persons.

For an appointment of a nominated support person to be effective, you must understand the decision you are making at the time, and be able to communicate that decision.  Under the Mental Health Act 2016 persons are presumed to understand the making of such decisions.

Guide and form can be obtained by clicking on the link below or searching on the web.
Advance
health
directive for
​mental health
Benefits of an Advance health directive

Benefits of an Advance health directive is that it gives you a greater say in your future healthcare, such as healthcare you would like to receive for a mental illness.

An Advance health directive applies at a future time if you become unwell and are unable to make decisions about your healthcare.  This means you do not have 'capacity' to make decisions.

If you have capacity to make decisions about your healthcare you are capable of:
  • understanding the nature and effect of your decisions
  • freely and voluntarily making decisions
  • communicating your decisions
If you do not have capacity to make decisions for yourself at a future time, a health practitioner may provide you with healthcare you have agreed to in your advance health directive.  The advance health directive acts as a record of your consent to receive particular healthcare.

You may also state any healthcare you do not wish to receive in your advance health directive.

Guide and form can be obtained by clicking on the link below or searching on the web.
Power

of
​
​Attorney
A power of attorney is a formal document giving another person the authority to make personal and/or financial decisions on your behalf.

Personal decisions relate to your care and welfare, including your health care, (e.g. deciding where or with whom you live or consenting to medical treatment).

Financial decisions relate to the management of your finances (e.g. paying your bills and taxes, selling or renting your home, using your income to pay for your needs or invest your money).

There are 2 types of power of attorney:
  1. General Power of Attorney
  2. Enduring Power of Attorney

General Power of Attorney
You would use a General Power of Attorney to appoint someone to make financial decisions on your behalf for a specific period or event, such as if you’re going overseas.  It’s used while you can still make your own decisions and ends once you no longer can (i.e. you lose capacity).

Enduring Power of Attorney
You would use an Enduring Power of Attorney to appoint someone to make financial and/or personal decisions on your behalf.
For financial decisions, you can nominate whether you want the attorney to begin making financial decisions for you straight away or at some other date or occasion, such as once you’ve lost capacity to make these decisions.
Your attorney’s power to make personal decisions only commences when you lose capacity to make these decisions.

For more information visit the Qld Govt website by clicking on the link below.
They do not provide hard copy (paper) versions of the forms but a pdf is available to download from their website.

Alternatively, hard copies are available to purchase from many newsagents and private companies across the State.

The Public Trustee can assist in making a Power of Attorney.  As at August 2020 their fees are $202.10 for an Individual or $307.75 for a Couple.
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Treatment
Authority
A Treatment Authority (sometimes referred to as ITO - Involuntary Treatment Order) authorises the treatment and care of a person for a mental illness without the person's consent.

An assessment by an authorised doctor may result in a treatment authority being made if the authorised doctor is satisfied that:
  • the treatment criteria apply to the person, and
  • there is no less restrictive way for the person to receive treatment and care for the person's mental illness.
One of the treatment criteria is that the person does not have capacity to consent to treatment.

An authorised doctor must decide the category of the treatment authority - inpatient or community.  The community category is the default category.  An authorised doctor may only decide an inpatient category if the person's treatment and care needs cannot reasonably be met under a community category.

An authorised doctor must revoke the patient's treatment authority if, at any time, the treatment criteria no longer apply to the patient or there is a less restrictive way for the patient to receive treatment and care for the patient's mental illness.

Regular assessments must occur at least three monthly.

One of the roles of the Mental Health Review Tribunal is to independently review the making and continuation of treatment authorities.

Further information can be obtained from the Qld Govt website or the following information sheets.
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Mental health care plan

A mental health care plan is a plan for people with a mental health disorder.  If you have mental health issues, your doctor can write out this plan.

If you have a mental health care plan you will be entitled to Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual and 10 group appointments with some allied mental health services in a year.  This may include psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers.

If you have a plan under NDIS you may not need a mental health care plan as your NDIS package may include these services.

Click on the link for more information.
University of Sunshine Coast Psychology Clinic - Mind & Neuroscience Thompson Institute

The Psychology Clinic provides mental health services to the community and also functions as an advanced teaching, training and research facility for postgraduate students (Provisional Psychologists) in the Master of Psychology (Clinical) and Master of Professional Psychology programs at USC.

All clinical work undertaken by Provisional Psychologists in the Psychology Clinic is supervised by experienced Clinical Psychologists.

All services of the Psychology Clinic are offered free of charge.  There is a waiting list but the Clinic aims to keep them to a minimum and clients are given an appointment as quickly as possible.   An Intake Officer will discuss your needs with the Clinic Director and a decision will be made.  If the Psychology Clinic is not the most suitable service for you, other services will be suggested wherever possible.

To find out more and how to make an appointment click on the link below.
Head to Health - Website

In addition to containing information about mental health conditions, this website also provides information about the importance of physical health, connectedness and purposeful activities such as hobbies, learning & education, volunteering and working.
Funded by the NDIA through the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building Grant (Round 2)
Psychosocial NDIS Online Peer Support Group
With funding provided by the NDIA we are working to share and enhance reimagine.today a FREE online resource that guides people living with a mental health condition through the step-by-step process of accessing the NDIS.

We have employed Peer Leaders in NSW / ACT. NT, QLD, SA, VIC and TAS to coordinate state-based Peer-led Networks and be part of a co-design process to develop additional resources for reimagine.today, that will further support people in accessing the NDIS.

The reimagine.today NDIS psychosocial online Peer Support Group is open to people who are accessing, trying to access or are interested in accessing NDIS for mental health reasons.

The group will aim to provide:
  • A space that is Peer led and informed.
  • Support and mentoring around a range of topics related to NDIS access, plans and the navigation of the NDIS system, as identified by group members.
  • A space for sharing, learning and exploration within the group of both challenges and successes in this space.
  • Techniques to maintain wellbeing throughout your journey with NDIS.
When:  The 3rd Friday of each month.
Where:  Join us on Zoom https://zoom.us/j/644948352
Time:  1pm - 3pm

For more information or to register please contact Brooke via:-

​Email:  BStarr@qamh.org.au
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