Patient Council Newsletter Vol 1 Issue 6 Fall 2013

“Let your values and priorities shape your daily life”-(Linus Mundy)

Welcome to the Patients’ Voice Newsletter Inside this Issue 1- Recipe of the month 2- Changes to prescriptions/ From your Patients’ Council 3- Interview with RMHC Site Chief – Dr. Sarah Jarmain 4- Interview continued 5- Touch of the artist’s hand 6- What makes a difference/Family satisfaction survey 7- Patient Barbecue

The Patients’ Voice

Volume 1, Issue 6 Fall 2013

THE PATIENTS’ COUNCIL OF REGIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Recipe of the Month: Irish Stew

Ingredients: 8 small lamb chops 1 ½ cups celery, diced 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 3 – 4 medium potatoes Salt and pepper 1 medium onion Peppercorns, thyme, rosemary 12 small white onions Parsley, bay leaf 1 ½ cups peas 2 cups shredded cabbage 1 large leek, thinly sliced Directions: Season chops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in saucepan wide enough to hold all chops in a single layer. Brown on both sides. Spoon off any melted fat and add enough water to cover chops. Bring to a boil and add parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and rosemary, enclosed in cheesecloth. Lower heat and simmer. Meanwhile peel potatoes and cut into bite sized pieces. Add potatoes, cabbage, onion, well-rinsed leek, white onions and celery to chops and liquid. Simmer 20 minutes, then add peas. Add a little more water if needed. Simmer 10 minutes more or until potatoes are tender. Season to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve.

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Changes to the way discharge prescriptions are provided to patients who are transitioning back home are being made at Regional Mental Health Care London

(RMHCL). Starting October 16, your doctor will give you a discharge prescription. For your

convenience, your prescription can be filled at the RMHCL pharmacy, Prescription Shop 2, located on site near the vending machines, in the main hallway. It is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can take your prescription to your

community pharmacy of choice. Wherever you go to have your prescription filled, you will need to provide your current

ODSP card or third party insurance information. By changing the way we provide your discharge prescriptions, we are giving the

responsibility for managing your prescriptions back to you. This is just another important step on your road to recovery.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact a member of your pharmacy team.

From your Patients’ Council

The Patients’ Council is looking for members! We encourage both inpatients and outpatients to participate in our activities. As a council member, you have a voice in the hospital and you can vote on important issues at our monthly meetings. The Patients’ Council also advocates to ensure patients are receiving the best possible quality of care. Council members are involved in hospital committee meetings, social activities such as coffee days, the patient drop-in center, and speaking at community meetings. The council also gets involved in activities such as the summer BBQ and the Christmas open house at RMHC London.

If you would like to get involved, come visit us at RMHC London in room C-148, or the Southwest Centre in room C2-413, or call 519-455-5110 ext 47064.

Changes to Discharge Prescriptions at RMHCL

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Meeting With Dr.Sarah Jarmain Site Chief

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The Patients’ Council had the opportunity to interview Site Chief, Dr. Sarah Jarmain. This was a great opportunity to find out more about her role, and to ask questions from the

patients’ perspective.

1. What is your role at St. Joseph’s and how do you help patients or families that are struggling with mental illness?

2. What are some of the challenges patients encounter when faced with a mental illness?

3. When new medications or treatments become available, how are you involved?

4. What is your vision for the future of psychiatry in the next two years and how will this impact patients?

1. I am the Site Chief for both of St. Joseph’s mental health sites. In that role, I oversee physicians, and work on program planning (clinical services), keeping in mind the needs of patients and families. I ensure quality of care, and safety, making sure that the environment is safe for staff and patients. I also link in with Western University`s Department of Psychiatry, to help them with research and teaching, and how that applies to our mental health facilities. I also see patients as well.

2. When someone is first diagnosed with a mental illness, they might be thinking, “what does it mean for me?” It is sometimes difficult for people to recognize that they have an illness, as they may assume it’s only stress. The person might wonder: “What symptoms do I have to deal with? How is this going to change my life? Can I talk about things openly?” There may also be employment stress- the person may worry about losing their job, or about their relationships with co-workers. It can be difficult for people to get the help they need, and sometimes people don’t know where to go to access help. Some people don’t know they can go to their family physician, and many people do not have a family doctor. In addition, it can be challenging for people to understand their illness and how it will affect them. There is still a lot of misinformation and stigma surrounding mental illness and addictions. It may also be challenging for the person to manage changes in their life such as concentration, memory, energy levels or sleep patterns.

Cont`d on next page…


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3. I don’t do primary research myself, however I support those that do this research. I have

been involved in clinical trials in the past, in which we are looking at medications and evaluating things such as side effects. Part of my role is to look at treatment options that are available to patients in our care. Some of the treatment options we have been looking at include TMS (trans cranial magnetic stimulation), which is a new treatment similar to ECT but does not need the anaesthetic. This treatment is currently undergoing research, to find out where it may be helpful. This research will determine if this option could be used more broadly. Sometimes new medications become available, and we need to evaluate if they will work and ensure they are safe for patients in our care.

4. There have been a lot of positive changes, and we are already preparing for our move into the new London hospital next fall. Over the next two years we will also be examining how we can work together as a team to create the best possible care for our patients. The focus will be on using a recovery based approach but also looking at how we can offer a specialized level of care (i.e. utilizing newer cutting-edge treatments, training staff on new treatments, and ensuring we can make use of these for patients who have not responded to more usual treatments).

Interview and questions by Stephanie Taylor

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touch of the artist’s hand the sketch- a warm beginning wakening within the artist love from the heart to a story on canvas through hand to brush from the first colour to the last creating something alive letting hands say what the mind sees more will overflow into this picture where one can see feeling hidden in soft watercolours love’s beauty brought forward by touch of the artist’s hand

by: M Laplante, May 2012


What makes a difference in your day?

We want to help patients feel welcome and supported during their stay at our mental health care facilities. Patients’ Council is looking for stories from you… Do you have a story about how you felt welcomed and cared for by staff? Do you have a story about the difference it made in your day, because someone asked, “How can I help you?” Do you have a story about the difference it made in your day, because someone had a conversation with you or encouraged you to take part in an activity that helped you to meet your goals? Do you have a story about how your inpatient experience helped you succeed in the community? You can choose if you would like to include your name with your story, however names are not required. Please drop your stories off at the Patients’ Council office, located in Room C148 (RMHC London) or Room C2-413 (Southwest Centre) or call (519) 455-5110 ext. 47064 and we can pick your story up from you.

Satisfaction survey for family members / most significant visitors

Aligned with our commitment to patient-centered care, Regional Mental Health Care London and the Southwest Center for Forensic Mental Health Care will conduct our annual satisfaction survey for family members/most frequent visitors of inpatients. The survey will assist in identifying areas of accomplishment and opportunities for improvement.

The survey will be mailed by National Research Corporation Canada (NRCC) in October. Patients must provide consent to allow NRCC to mail their family member/most significant visitor a survey. Additionally, patients will identify the family member/most significant visitor to be contacted. In the event that a patient is incapable to consent, the Substitute Decision Maker will be approached for consent.

The survey will ask family members/most significant visitors questions regarding their satisfaction with the quality of care and services provided, the living environment, communication, patient care, and more. All information provided is confidential and results will be reported collectively.

For more information on the survey, please contact Kristen Lethbridge, Quality Measurement & Clinical Decision Support (519-646-6100, Extension 47197).

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RMHC Patient Barbecue

(From left to right: Stephanie, Philip, Ron, Norm, and Nicole)

On August 22, Volunteer Services, in partnership with the Patients’ Council, held their Annual Patient Barbecue at RMHC London. The barbecue took place on the grounds by the Chapel of Hope. Patients helped themselves to hamburgers, corn on the cob, chips,

beverages, and dessert. The Patients’ Council provided ice cream for dessert, and helped to serve as well. Patients could choose from vanilla, chocolate, butterscotch, and strawberry ice cream. The event was very well attended and the weather was beautiful.

Patients also enjoyed a game of BINGO with prizes.

Thank you to the Patients’ Council members who helped out at the event!

(Stephanie, Philip, Ron, Rachel, Norm, Nicole)

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Documents

Patient Council Newsletter Vol 1 Issue 6 Fall 2013