Westmead takes top mental health award

Westmead’s Redbank House Acute Adolescent Unit team have received a state award for improving their practices with the seclusion and restraint of serious mental health patients.

The Acute Adolescent Unit is a tertiary referral in-patient unit for patients aged between 12-18 years and is located at Westmead Hospital.

The unit’s operations manager Sumitra Joseph said it offers comprehensive assessment and treatments for adolescents experiencing serious mental illness who require inpatient acute containment and management.

“There has been a lot of media attention and pressure on mental health units recently after the publicised death of a mental health patient who was under restraint while awaiting further treatment,” Ms Joseph said.

“Based on feedback and in collaboration with our patients, carers and families we have been able to develop a new model of care, incorporated innovative initiatives adopting evidence-based therapies and alternate behavioural modification strategies to reduce seclusion and restraint.

‘We are delighted to win this award because as a team we believe that, with commitment, motivation, teamwork and robust leadership reduction of seclusion and restraint is possible and worth the investment for a better future for our patients and their recovery.