Direct admission to an appropriate same–day program (half or full–day), or attendances at outpatient services, where available, should be considered as an alternative to admitted overnight patient services. 3.1 Admitted overnight services After mental health assessment by the treating psychiatrist, level of distress and/or disability is assessed as acute, severe, or serious as evidenced by but not confined to, the following. High risk of harm to self, or others. Incapacitating symptoms or distress. This may be evidenced by a highly disorganised state impacting on self–care and/or physical health, including inability to comply with treatment, resulting in a need for 24 hour care. The need to establish the nature of a disorder, initiate and/or stabilise complex treatment modalities, such as pharmacotherapy and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). Significant problems in initiating treatment, or continuing treatment, in another setting. As patient acuity, dysfunction and available support change the patient should, as soon as possible, be relocated to an appropriate level in the continuum of care, in consultation with the patient and, where nominated and clinically appropriate, his or her family/carer. Admitted overnight length–of–stay should be determined by the treating patient’s psychiatrist in accordance with individual patient clinical need, and clinical best practice, not by length of program. 3.2 Admitted same–day patient services Admitted same–day services should be the setting of choice for early intervention and when the patient exhibits a level of acuity, distress, or disability that is assessed as: manageable risk of harm to self, or others; and lower indicators of severity and complexity than those necessitating admitted overnight stay; and able to comply with treatment and self–care; or able to cope with their usual environment. As patient acuity, level of functioning and disability and available supports change, the patient should, as soon as possible, be relocated to an appropriate level in the continuum of care, in consultation with the patient and, where nominated and clinically appropriate, their family/carer(s) and with consideration of funding options. All occasions of service must be determined on an individual basis. This may include
Direct admission to an appropriate same–day program (half or full–day), or attendances at outpatient services, where available, should be considered as an alternative to admitted overnight patient services. 3.1 Admitted overnight services After mental health assessment by the treating psychiatrist, level of distress and/or disability is assessed as acute, severe, or serious as evidenced by but not confined to, the following. High risk of harm to self, or others. Incapacitating symptoms or distress. This may be evidenced by a highly disorganised state impacting on self–care and/or physical health, including inability to comply with treatment, resulting in a need for 24 hour care. The need to establish the nature of a disorder, initiate and/or stabilise complex treatment modalities, such as pharmacotherapy and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). Significant problems in initiating treatment, or continuing treatment, in another setting. As patient acuity, dysfunction and available support change the patient should, as soon as possible, be relocated to an appropriate level in the continuum of care, in consultation with the patient and, where nominated and clinically appropriate, his or her family/carer. Admitted overnight length–of–stay should be determined by the patient’s treating psychiatrist in accordance with individual patient clinical need, and clinical best practice, not by length of program. 3.2 Admitted same–day patient services Admitted same–day services should be the setting of choice for early intervention and when the patient exhibits a level of acuity, distress, or disability that is assessed as: manageable risk of harm to self, or others; and lower indicators of severity and complexity than those necessitating admitted overnight stay; and able to comply with treatment and self–care; or able to cope with their usual environment. As patient acuity, level of functioning and disability and available supports change, the patient should, as soon as possible, be relocated to an appropriate level in the continuum of care, in consultation with the patient and, where nominated and clinically appropriate, their family/carer(s) and with consideration of funding options. All occasions of service must be determined on an individual basis. This may include
Guidelines%20for%20Determining%20Benefits%202015%20Edition-reChecked.docx