Get the FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of people are likely to be consumers at The Park?
The patients at The Park - Centre for Mental Health are people who are significantly disabled as a consequence of a serious mental illness. They include:
How are people referred to The Park?
The Park is a tertiary facility, which means patients are referred through an acute inpatient or community mental health service. Child and Youth Mental Health Services (Community and Acute based) and child psychiatrists in private practice can refer adolescents aged 13 – 17 years to the Barrett Adolescent Centre. Consumers to the High Security Inpatient Service can also be referred through the Criminal Justice System under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 2000.
Why do you call patients 'consumers'? Why not just 'patients'?
At a National and International level, the need for consumers of Mental Health Services to be more actively involved in the planning and delivery of care has been recognised. At a National level the consumer movement has been organised into peak bodies supported by State Consumer and Carer Support Groups. In Queensland, QCAG or the Queensland Consumer Advisory Group has been established for some time. At a National and State level these groups have indicated a preference for the use of the term 'consumers' rather than 'patients'. This in turn is reflected in the practical application of our Model of Service Delivery.
Does rehabilitation equal a higher throughput of consumers?
The aim of treatment and rehabilitation programs must always be to support patients to lead full and meaningful lives. A meaningful life usually involves social, recreational and vocational interaction in the community, with the individual residing in some sort of independent or assisted accommodation. Patients with serious mental health problems and associated disabilities often are unable to engage in these activities in a meaningful or safe way in the community. There is good evidence to suggest that high quality inpatient treatment and rehabilitation programs will substantially increase patients' capacity to recover to a point where the individual can undertake these activities safely in the community.
What are the risk factors for the community from those with a mental illness who are then discharged?
Statistics show that people with a mental illness are much more likely to be victims of crime than they are perpetrators of these crimes. To some extent, sensational media coverage has highlighted and dwelled upon rare incidences involving people with serious mental illness. Most of all, the consumers of High Security services are people with a mental illness who have also committed a crime as a consequence of their mental illness.
With the appropriate, individualised treatment, the majority of these clients will improve to a point where they can return safely to the community. A patient's level of dangerousness is more directly related to their capacity to access timely and effective treatment than any other matter. The improvement in the range of services available generally to people with serious mental health problems should ensure that patients receive better access to improved levels of treatment and rehabilitation than has previously been the case.
Why did you redevelop the Hospital? Who decided it had to be changed?
The redevelopment to The Park in 2002 reflects the positive changes in the provision of mental health care occurring throughout the Western World. In particular, the changes embodied in the redevelopment are in line with National and State Mental Health Strategies. Services at Wolston Park Hospital were redeveloped to support achievement of the best possible mental health outcomes for clients with serious mental illness. The Government's commitment of $50M to improve the standard of inpatient accommodation available on the site recognises the poor quality and general unsuitability of existing inpatient accommodation on the site.
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