The Concord Centre for Mental Health’s new ‘phase of illness’ model of care: are we on the right track?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to provide an overview of a new 'phase of illness' model of care after relocation of Rozelle Hospital to the new purpose built Concord Centre for Mental Health and discuss its implementation and progress thus far.

METHOD: One year after relocation, staff were asked to provide feedback of their views of the new model of care in order to identify implementation barriers and ways forward.

RESULTS: The new model has clear benefits for the consumer, but there are a number of practical challenges and dilemmas emerging that necessitate some refinement and evaluation. Feedback from staff provided a wide range of opinions indicating that some were quite cynical of the new model while others were very supportive and thought that patient care was enhanced.

CONCLUSIONS: Further development and consolidation of the model is required, including more education sessions and a clear mission statement at unit, hospital and community levels. Further research is also required to assess the impact and ability of the new model to deliver better patient outcomes, especially in regard to continuity of care.