Person and Family Centred Care Passion Projects 2018

Congratulations to the four successful project teams.

The Person and Family Centred Care Passion Projects initiative was launched in September 2016 during Person and Family Centred Care Week.  The system was created as a direct response to consumer and carer feedback, to ensure feedback translates into programmatic quality improvements. Annually four project teams from the Women’s and Children’s Health Network will be granted funding, up to $5000, to work in partnership with consumers and carers to make positive service changes.

The Person and Family Centred Care Passion Projects are funded by the Friends WCH Inc.

The concept is still the same as last year which is to provide financial support to projects which will lead to solution-focused, quality improvement initiatives that embed the four pillars of the WCHN’s Person and Family Centred Care Charter, namely to:

• Treat consumers and their families with dignity and respect

• Communicate information clearly and openly with the consumer

• Actively involve consumers in the decision making

• Be positive and kind.

A key requirement of the program is that consumer or carer representatives are involved in the design and implementation of each project completed within a six-month period and evaluated by the 30 June 2018. The Community Engagement Division provides consultancy and oversight.

This year the Friends are pleased to announce the four successful projects

1. Culturally appropriate antenatal physiotherapy education session. Women’s Physiotherapy. Allied Health
   Back/pelvic pain has been shown to affect up to 80% of women during pregnancy. Women who identify as Aboriginal or Torrens Strait Islander (ATSI), who are referred to education classes rarely attend this group session. No reliable and robust attendance data exists for this group.
   
   This project aims to define and establish a session outline (via consumer focus group with Aboriginal Midwifery Intensive Care involvement) for a culturally appropriate group session for ATSI women experiencing back and/or pelvic pain in pregnancy, and then to pilot this session over 2-3 consecutive months and evaluate consumer satisfaction with the session. Focus group discussion will aim to define what format this education is best delivered in, the location and time/length of the session, as well as the content.
   

2. My Space. Helen May House. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
   Helen Mayo House (HMH) is an acute statewide inpatient unit that provides services for mothers and their families who have significant mental health  problems in the postnatal period.
   
   This consumer collaboration project aims to develop warm, comfortable and relaxing bedroom spaces for inpatients at HMH. The project will develop bedroom packs that help create richer therapeutic environments for inpatients and their families with postnatal mental health needs.
   
   The project will aim to provide a more modern, comfortable, appealing home like environment for each bedroom by providing some of the listed examples as chosen by consumers. They include new quilt covers, music choices for relaxation and enjoyment, aromatherapy diffusers and oils, art for the bedroom walls, audio books and mindfulness journal tools.
   

3. Virtual Reality Distraction During Minor Procedures. Medical Day Unit. Peadiatric Medicine.
   Minor invasive procedures such as blood draws, cannula insertion and catheter insertion can be extremely stressful for children, their family members/ carers and staff. While these procedures are not generally associated with large amounts of pain, the anxiety leading up to, during and following the procedure can be challenging and overwhelming for all involved. Regular repeated procedures in childhood can impact the development of the central nervous system and have been demonstrated to decrease pain tolerance, increase anxiety and heighten pain responses into adulthood.
   
   The aim of this project is to evaluate the use of the Samsung Gear VR virtual reality technology as a distraction tool for children, aged between five and seventeen years, during procedures in the Dialysis/Medical Day Unit of the WCH. Evaluations will occur over a three month period and will involve the completion of surveys by the child, family members and staff following the use of the VR technology.
   

4. “What About Us” Youth Homelessness Project. Metropolitan Youth Health Services. Youth, Women’s Safety and Wellbeing Services.
   Currently in South Australia on any given night there are estimated 1500 young people experiencing homelessness – young people living rough on the streets., in shelters or in other temporary and often unsafe accommodation.
   
   The “What About Us” project will create a new and safe space for young people within the Baptist Care Shelter. The space will incorporate a mural designed and created by young people reflecting stories, determination, resilience and hopes for the future. The young people can add their story to the mural, take on a project management role or contribute ideas and imagination. The project provides an opportunity for young people to build positive relationships with their peers and health providers, embrace their strengths and promote resilience.
   
   For further information contact the Director Consumer and Community Engagement Mr Allan Ball on (08) 8161 6935 or allan.ball@sa.gov.au or visit Passion Projects