Dr Andrew Aboud1
1Prison Mental Health Service, West Moreton Health, Queensland Health, , Australia
Biography:
Dr Andrew Aboud is a senior forensic psychiatrist with extensive clinical experience who has worked in community, inpatient and prison. He frequently provides expert opinion to courts and other decision-making bodies. He trained in London, initially at St Georges Hospital and then at The Maudsley Hospital. From 2010, he has held the position of Clinical Director of the West Moreton Health Prison Mental Health Service, a large multidisciplinary service of over 80 FTE which provides specialist mental health services to the ten prisons that are situated within Southeast Queensland, housing a population of around 7,500 prisoners.
Abstract:
Balancing public safety and human rights is the core business of the West Moreton Health Prison Mental Health Service. This is achieved by providing high-quality multidisciplinary specialist mental health care to a carefully identified target population in an efficient manner that is appropriately prioritised and mindful of resource limitations. By careful attention to well-crafted entry (referral, triage and intake) and exit (discharge) processes, eligible prisoners are provided with mental health care that is tailored to need, with utility of case management support and an affiliated non-government organisation to optimise quality of care in custody and ensure seamless transition to the community. The Symposium session will feature presentations on: 1) The role and remit of specialist mental health services in prisons; 2) A case management model of prison mental health care; 3) Collaboration between specialist mental health and general health services to ensure that the physical health needs of mentally unwell prisoners are met. It is suggested that aspects of the described models of care would be of interest to and may be usefully adopted by equivalent services in other jurisdictions.