26 Jun 2018
This letter has been submitted to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care by each state’s Pelvic Mesh Support Groups and the Health Consumer organisations in each State and Territory across Australia, asking the Commission to comprehensively address the recommendations tabled in the Senate Report (see below post).
Excerpt:
This letter is a joint appeal from each state’s Pelvic Mesh Support Groups and the current Health Consumer organisations in each State and Territory across Australia. On behalf of all mesh injured women of Australia, and those who may in the future access treatment for stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse we write to you, the Australia Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare to comprehensively address the recommendations tabled in the above report. We need and value your support in addressing the urgent call for action to prioritise the management of this medical disaster that is crippling Australian women and their families.
Women from the Support Groups are struggling with lifelong complications, physical and mental ill health, pain, suffering, financial burden and significant loss of life as they knew it. They feel that there needs to be a dramatic cultural change in treatment, reflected from the top and ensured by ACSQHC.
There is a significant lack of trust in the medical treatment these women have received; they have been dismissed, ignored and gaslighted into believing their ailments were “all in our heads”. As Senator Rachel Siewert, Chair of the Senate Inquiry, stated in her report release speech: They have suffered for so long without being heard. They have not been believed. In some cases, they’ve been belittled. They have been ignored. Well, for no longer shall they be ignored.
Appropriate pathways for lifelong care are now required. A trauma based model is needed for treatment moving forward; together with empowerment for all women at every stage of their journey.
Download full PDF letter >
8 Dec 2017
Expression of Interest – Carer representative for the Mental Health (MH) Non-Government Organisation (NGO) Quality Oversight Group arising from the Barrett Commission of Inquiry Recommendation 2.
Closing date: Monday 15 January 2017
Queensland Health’s Community Services Funding Branch is seeking an additional carer representative for the Mental Health Non-Government Organisation Quality Oversight Group.
About the committee and project
The Commission of Inquiry Report into the closure of the Barrett Adolescent Centre was provided to the Queensland Premier on 24 June 2016. The Commission made six recommendations, including Recommendation 2: That Queensland Health’s Service Agreements with Non-Government Organisations be carefully drawn to ensure they deal explicitly and sufficiently with matters such as:
- minimum standards/or staff employed to work in a particular facility;
- which entity may prescribe and monitor compliance with those standards;
- which entity may prescribe the extent and quality of the services to be provided by the NGO;
- which entity may monitor the quality of service delivery and give ongoing directions about it;
- termination of the service agreement, whether by effluxion of time, for breach of contract, because of policy changes, or any other reason.
The Queensland Government accepted all six recommendations in its response to the Commission of Inquiry Report. In accepting Recommendation 2, Queensland Government agreed to ‘review the Service Agreement arrangements for all Non-Government Organisations providing health services. This review, Queensland Health Review of NGO Service Agreement Report was endorsed by the Barrett Commission of Inquiry Steering Committee on 6 July 2017.
The report made six recommendations which will be progressively adopted into Queensland Health’s contracting arrangements with NGOs. The recommendations focus on operational enhancements and quality standards across all funding streams to ensure efficient, effective and safe services for health consumers.
The Mental Health NGO Quality Oversight Group has been formed to provide guidance and advice throughout the implementation of the Queensland Health NGO quality framework in relation to funded mental health services.
Read More >
1 Sep 2017
Women who have had mesh surgically implanted to treat vaginal prolapse or urinary incontinence were invited to respond to a survey from Australia’s state, territory and national peak consumer groups, including Health Consumers Queensland. The experiences reported will be vital to inform a joint Senate submission being drafted by our organizations.
(Note that mesh can also be referred to as tape, a sling, or TVT)
This survey is now closed. Health Issues Centre would like to thank all of the women who have bravely shared their experiences of pelvic mesh implants. We will continue working on behalf of all mesh injured women. You can follow updates on http://www.facebook.com/UnderstandingPelvicMesh .
1 Sep 2017
Information sheet on transvaginal mesh
Story from The Project on transvaginal mesh implants
The Project’s page with further information, links & statements (please note that they currently have the incorrect address listed for the Qld complaints body, the correct address being http://www.oho.qld.gov.au/)
Information from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) organised a series of consumer consultation forums with the assistance of state health consumer councils in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney from January to March 2017. The intent was to provide consumers with the opportunity to provide information about their experience of transvaginal mesh treatment to inform the development of patient decision support resources.
Thirty-one women participated in the forums, either in person or by telephone. All but one of the women who participated in the forums had experienced complications following transvaginal mesh treatment, and the majority of participants had been treated for stress urinary incontinence.
The common themes and issues raised by women who attended the forums are summarised on this page.
1 Sep 2017
If you are after information and support from women, please visit the Australian Pelvic Mesh Support Group.
1 Sep 2017
A Senate inquiry is being held in Australia on the number of women in Australia who have had transvaginal mesh implants and related matters. Women were invited to share their experiences via submissions. The submissions closed on 31 May 2017.
Health Consumers Queensland is feeding into a joint submission from the state and territory peak consumer organisations across Australia. Our equivalent organisation in Victoria, Health Issues Centre, has created a time-limited Facebook page to gather feedback from consumers to inform this submission. All information will be used without identifying the respondent.
30 Aug 2017
Closing date: midday Thursday 7 September 2017
The Department of Health is committed to ongoing engagement and participation of health consumers following the work done implementing the Government response to the Barrett Adolescent Centre Commission of Inquiry report. See the youth mental health website for further information: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/improvement/youthmentalhealth
As part of the 2017-18 State Budget,Government committed more than $68 million over four years for capital works to deliver a new statewide Adolescent Extended Treatment Facility (AETF) at The Prince Charles Hospital; two new Step Up Step Down Units (SUSDU) in north Brisbane and south Brisbane; and refurbishment for two new adolescent day program (DP) spaces at Logan and the Gold Coast.
To ensure progression of this next stage of work the Department of Health in collaboration with key Government agencies and health consumers is establishing governance and consultation processes that offer a range of opportunities for involvement: an overarching committee, a project oversight group, and a co-design consultation.
(more…)
27 Jun 2017
April – May 2017
Youth Mental Health Forums are happening across Queensland and registrations are now open. For more information and to register, please go to the Queensland Health website
At the forums you can:
- Be updated on the implementation of the Government response to the six recommendations made by the Barrett Adolescent Centre Commission of Inquiry report.
- Contribute to the conversation about the model of service for the new statewide Adolescent Extended Treatment Facility and the continuum of services being developed for adolescents and young people with severe and complex mental health issues across Queensland.
- Learn about the role consumers and carers and the Department of Education and Training are playing in implementing the Government response.
Leonie Sanderson, our HCQ Engagement Advisor, is attending each forum and consumer and carer representatives who have been involved with the Barrett project so far will also be in attendance. We encourage you to attend and come up and say hello to us! Consumers and carers are vital to this process and their view is essential in the development of these new services.
Queensland Adolescent and Young People Mental Health Services Mapping Survey
In relation to Recommendation 5 the Government has commissioned an independent review of the transition and alignment between adolescent/youth and adult mental health services in Queensland as outlined in the Government response. This review is being conducted by Health Outcomes International (HOI) and the Synergy Nursing and Midwifery Research Institute.
We are seeking your involvement in the survey process which will be open until Friday 26 May 2017.
Complete the survey >>
