Ms Michelle Perrin1, Ms Sophie Waples1, Mr Kanwar Singh1, Ms Laura Millar1
1Office of the Chief Psychiatrist, Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch, Clinical Excellence Queensland, Department of Health, Brisbane, Australia
Biography:
Michelle Perrin is a forensic psychologist working in the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (OCP) in a clinical position responsible for managing Complex Care Pathways, relating to complex patient matters and providing clinical advice and support to the Chief Psychiatrist and others on complex mental health matters arising from the interface with the Mental Health Act 2016. In this role she also leads a team delivering patients’ rights, advocacy, and quality improvement projects. Prior to this Michelle worked in the Queensland child and youth and adult forensic mental health system with a focus on working with individuals in custody.
Abstract:
The Queensland Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (OCP) has formal Complex Care Pathways to provide a structured approach for referral to the OCP in circumstances where additional support and oversight is required for complex care matters involving individuals who interact with the Queensland Health mental health alcohol and other drug (MHAOD) service system, including the Mental Health Court (MHC). A review of the OCP Complex Care Pathways was commenced in January 2025 to determine the extent to which the Pathways meet their objectives, and to identify opportunities to streamline processes to improve efficiency, and opportunities to expand or revise the pathways. The review demonstrated that the Pathways were meeting their objectives with identified opportunities for improvement to support the Pathways’ effectiveness and ensure that the MHAOD service system is supported to provide governance and where required guidance on complex care matters that require a systemic approach or care pathway. An overview of the Pathways, review process and outcomes will be provided.