2009 IIMHL Exchange
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2009 Leadership Exchange
Te Pou had the pleasure of hosting two groups of overseas visitors who were part of IIMHL in 2009.
The first were Maurice Burns and Pol Toner from the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK who held a workshop for Te Pou and planners and funders in Auckland on the UK-developed commissioners leadership programme. Commissioning has a similar role to planning and funding in New Zealand.
Te Pou has carried out some work with planners and funders of mental health and addictions services in New Zealand via the development of a website and seminar series. With a view to further development of a leadership programme for planners and funders, Te Pou took the opportunity to gauge from Maurice and Pol how their programme had worked in the UK.
Essentially the UK had run a structured university-based programme. Feedback suggested it was difficult to achieve individuals' learning needs within the programme, with the range of experience and variation in the roles of the commissioners. This is a similar situation to that of New Zealand where planners and funders have varied portfolios and backgrounds relevant to the role or health sector.
Valuable discussions on political climate influences (that New Zealand is now experiencing) were held, led by Ian McKenzie, the Northern Regional Director for Mental Health.
The workshop gave useful guidance on the type of leadership programme that should be considered in New Zealand for planners and funders, and also how political changes can alter the health landscape very quickly.
The second visitors were from the Canadian Mental Health Commission. A full day's programme with the Commission covered the work of Te Pou and discussion around common alliances. The Commission shares many similarities with Te Pou, for example evidence into practice and knowledge transfer.
Discussion also focused on Te Pou's role in developing a workforce that uses information to make good decisions, is well informed about good clinical practice and enhances the experience of service users. The Commission presented some of the national issues they are dealing with, for example homelessness, and also the lack of a national mental health strategy.
The development of their Commission is very new and so there is great potential for them to learn from other countries. Some useful connections were made and positive feedback on their learning was given.
Country leaders' meeting
The sponsoring countries leaders meeting was a two-day discussion forum, where each country shared their policies and practice on particular topics related to mental health including:
| Topic | Discussion points |
| Linking Mental Health to primary care |
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| Social Networking |
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| The interface between mental health and public health |
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| The impact of the economic crisis on services |
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| How to move forward on the social inclusion agenda |
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| Response to disasters |
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| Meeting with clinical leaders |
|
Other discussion focused on the value of the IIMHL experience for participants. Many delegates agreed the exchanges were extremely valuable learning for leaders – where leadership models can be seen in action and learning reciprocated.
Some examples of this for Te Pou included the work being done in reduction of seclusion and restraint. This project began with Bob Glover and his team from NASMHPD in the US doing some workshops in New Zealand with acute inpatient sector leaders on how they had reduced seclusion and restraint practice using some core strategies.
Te Pou has taken the strategies and focused on looking at the New Zealand context for areas where alternative practices to seclusion and restraint are encouraged. Te Pou is now working with DHBs (a few years after Bob and his team visited) on alternative practices like sensory modulation techniques, that can be brought into training for staff on calming and restraint practice.
Future plans include looking at how high rates of Maori and Pacific service users (who are over-represented in seclusion statistics) can be addressed. This is a good example of where another country's experience could be adapted to the New Zealand environment with a direct impact on improving services.
In return, as the NASMHPD team were looking to develop a competency framework, Te Pou was able to provide advice and guidance based on the Lets get real framework. Development of the framework, which describes essential knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of workers in mental health and addiction services provided a valuable template for the NAMPSD team.
That the framework was developed using vignettes of service users and families who use mental health and addiction services made the framework applicable to all workers – and the involvement of professional bodies, education provides, service users, families, clinicians and leaders was imperative to its implementation which Te Pou is now embarking on.
Network meeting
Dr Janice Wilson opened the two-day network meeting with an address which included the following:
- There is a reform of mental health adding value and embracing people with lived experience – ordinary lives and equal partnerships
- Leadership is critical at all levels for mental health – leadership is a verb/doing/energising/empowering others toward a better future with dignity
- IIMHL is a leadership network – its about enhancing and developing ongoing change, its also about being better informed, being focused and effective and developing cross country relationships
- Her key message - "learn heaps".
Michael Kirby, the chair of the Canadian Mental Health Commission spoke on the development of the Commission in Ottawa last year. There is now a draft framework for mental health for Canada with 8 goals for a reformed system. They are working on research and anti-stigma campaigns, and focusing on high areas of need like homelessness.
He talked about making enduring changes and how to make such things last. The view of the Commission was to aim to create social movements for mental health, and they had looked at other areas where this had occurred like breast cancer (where it was previously socially unacceptable to talk about, and now there is a massive campaign with good funding and community support to perform screening and early treatment). He added that research had been woefully underfunded in Canada and they were exploring the percentage spent on mental health research compared to general health research.
Professor Harvey Whiteford from Queensland (host country and state) talked about the meaning of social inclusion:
- Connecting with family/friends
- Having a job
- Access to services
- Support in a personal crisis
- Having your voice heard
Kerry Graham from Australia’s social inclusion board spoke about some of her work including working with youth – using technology to engage youth - the benefits being organisationally lean.
Associate Professor Helen Milroy received a standing ovation for her discussion on the aboriginal perspective of social inclusion. She spoke about this being a natural way of working for the aboriginal people and that there was a need to address restoration over generations, re-establishment of social and cultural norms, being heard and translated into appropriate actions and the development of many frameworks but little action.
Associate Professor Neil Cole (former Member of Parliament and service user) gave an engaging presentation on social inclusion being about recovery, deinstitutionalisation, and early intervention. He also spoke on the confusion to have social inclusion as a theme – where it should simply be a way of living and working. He added that the consumer voice needs to move on from anger, and that sometimes consumers forget to listen.
A discussion between Te Pou, the Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health, and the Sainsbury Centre in the UK saw commonalities and purpose for our organisations examined, along with and leadership and workforce issues. The outcomes of the discussion pointed toward the importance of enhancing leaders, being accountable, thinking about others being critical, and broadening perspectives.
Te Pou then participated in the brag and steal event. This was where organisations ‘bragged’ about the work they do with others being able to ‘steal’ the idea. The areas of focus for Te Pou were Le Va’s programme, the Knowledge Exchange and Lets get real which were popular among other delegates.
The second day commenced with an address by Reverend Tim Costello, the CE for World Vision in Australia. Tim gave many interesting anecdotes on social inclusion and talked about everyday conversations with people in our communities as being critical.
Meeting participants were asked to describe how they would bring social inclusion into their work as a leader in mental health and addictions. Two quotes that stood out were 'have a passion for what you are doing', and 'be persistent in breaking down barriers'.
Overall it was highly beneficial for Te Pou to be a hosting party and participating organisation in IIMHL. The organisation's role in leadership development, knowledge transfer, information utility and workforce development is critical to the social inclusion agenda and enhancement of mental health and addiction services.
It was affirming to speak with ‘like’ organisations such as the National Institute for Mental Health in England, The Sainsbury Centre, The Scottish Mental Health Development Centre, The Canadian Mental Health Commission and SAMHSA in the US – to share and learn in our common practices. Two such areas are putting policy into practice, and enhancing services.
Page last updated: 14 October 2009