recent developments

PRA’s Annual Report for 2008/09 has been published, and is now available on the PRA website.

The Report has been built around the stories of a number of people who use PRA’s services in the community. It shows how PRA’s dedication to supporting peoples’ recovery goals is paying dividends by helping people to live meaningful and fulfilling roles in society.

Click here to access the whole report.

Back On Track Health (BOTH) Project (1^st March 2010)

PRA is a specialist provider of psychiatric disability services across NSW with a strong commitment to psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery for people who experience mental health problems or disorders. PRA currently supports over 3300 people through diverse employment, accommodation and social services at 35 service sites across NSW and southern Queensland.

People with mental illness have the right to expect health care that is equitable with the care provided to the general population. However, it is well researched that people living with a mental health problem have poor physical health and increased incidence of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes. Despite being at an increased risk of developing chronic physical health problems, there is a dearth of health promotion, prevention and early intervention, detection rates and treatment of physical illness among people living with a mental illness. Research shows:

• People with a mental illness die 15 to 25 years earlier than others in the population with 16% of all excess deaths due to cardiac problems.
• Increased drug and alcohol use and greater lifestyle risks lead to complex physical health needs co-morbidity and depression.
• Links between psychotropic medication and metabolic disorders i.e. cardiomyopathy, obesity and diabetes.
• On average a person with depression has three other chronic conditions, and are four times more likely to have a heart attack

PRA received a one off grant from the Commonwealth government in late 2009 for the Back On Track Health (BOTH) project that aims to increase the level of access to primary health care and preventative programs that are used by people living with mental health problems. PRA is undertaking early intervention and health promotion strategies that encourage people who are supported by PRA to actively participate in self-care management and improvement of physical health.

Sustainability of the Project is through:

• Physical Health Checklist and resources
• Service User and staff health education package
• Initial staff training and support
• Organizational policies and procedures
• Monitoring and review processes
• Links with GPs, and through the Divisions of GP.

Aims of the BOTH Project

1. Provide a sustainable, comprehensive, culturally aware staged program of care coordination,
   to develop PRA service users and health care provider partnerships.
2. Assist and promote active participation in self-care management, by identifying and
   assisting to meet service users’ complex physical health care needs, thereby increasing
   an individual’s sense of belonging, self-esteem, self- determination and ability to
   function at an optimal level.
3. To assist individuals living with a persistent mental illness to sustain a reflective
   and responsive approach towards their own physical health.
4. Support service users to adopt risk modification, self–management strategies
   and use of the ‘My Green Book’ health record to monitor complex health care needs.

Further Reading

SANE Australia, 2007, Physical health care and mental illness,
Research Bulletin No. 6, February www.sane.org

More Information

For more information contact the BOTH Project Health Advisors
on telephone 9690 8900 or email: sue.w@pra.org.au or julie.m@pra.org.au

(After 30^th May 2010 please contact Janet Meagher,
Divisional Manager – Inclusion on telephone 9690 8905 or email: janet.m@pra.org.au )