Bloomfield Units

Bloomfield comprises of 8 inpatient units, which provide a range of acute, sub-acute, rehabilitation and psycho-geriatric services. There is also an Activities Centre, which provides a range of social and craft activities. The main function of each unit is as follows:

The Lachlan Building
Acute Adult Mental Health and Acute Aged Care

Adult Admission Unit

The Adult Admission Unit will provide care for adults who are experiencing an acute episode of psychiatric illness or disorder, psychiatric symptoms complicated by severe behavioural disturbance, or who pose a risk to self or others due to their mental state.

The goal of care is for a short term admission prior to returning to a less restrictive environment.  Achievement of the goal is through a comprehensive mental health assessment, risk assessment, regular reviews by a psychiatrist and medical officer, treatments and interventions incorporating a Personal Recovery framework focusing both the treatment of the illness and promoting well-being.

Mental Health Intensive Care Unit (MHICU)

This unit is for adults who primarily require involuntary short-term inpatient management and treatment during an acute phase of mental illness or disorder and pose extreme risk of harm to others through physical violence or sexual disinhibition.

The goal of care is to stabilize the mental state and behaviour so care can be provided in a less restrictive environment.  Attainment of the goal will occur through a comprehensive mental health assessment, risk assessment, daily reviews by a psychiatrist and medical officer, and implementation of programs tailored by the multidisciplinary team with a recovery focus.

High Dependency Unit (HDU)

This unit is for adults experiencing an acute episode of depression, anxiety or other psychiatric conditions where they pose a serious risk to themselves, or those who present a situational crisis that may lead to self harm.  The unit will not cater for adults who pose a significant risk to others; they will be referred to the MHICU.

The goal of care is to provide care and support through the situational crisis and reduce the risk of self harm.  Achievement of the goal will occur by providing short-term voluntary and in-voluntary inpatient management and treatment during the acute phase of the illness.  Assisting patients to recover and integrate safely and effectively back into the community, encouraging family and carer involvement from a Person-Centred Model of Care.  Essential to care is a comprehensive mental health assessment, risk assessment and daily reviews by a psychiatrist and medical officer. 

Older Persons Acute

The Older Persons mental health Acute Unit caters for people, generally, over the age of 65 (50 for Aboriginal people) who develop, or are at high risk of developing a mental disorder, such as depression, psychosis, anxiety or severe adjustment disorder.

The goal of care is to return the older person to another mainstream service or community setting following a multidisciplinary assessment of the older person's mental and behavioural state, including psycho-social and physical health issues.  Treatment focuses on clinical symptom reduction with an expectation of short term improvement.  Collaboration with the following services will ensure a comprehensive approach to care: aged care and rehabilitation, acute medical services, adult mental health services, GP's, Residential Aged Care Facilities and carers.

Older Persons Non Acute

Wattle Grove is a unit that caters for older people, generally, over the age of 65 (50 for Aboriginal people) with high level, complex and persistent psychiatric symptoms who cannot be managed in a less restrictive environment.

The goal of care is to prevent further deterioration and reduce impairment, while promoting independence, dignity and quality of life for older people with mental health problems.  Care will focus on stabilizing functional impairment and preventing further deterioration and impairment.  A multidisciplinary team assessment and intervention will develop individual care plans to address all health care needs related to deterioration of physical function.  Family and carer participation in care is encouraged.

Open Units

The Poplars

This unit provides care for adult mental health consumers from the Greater Western AHS who no longer need acute inpatient intervention and treatment. For these patients, they may benefit from further treatment and support in an inpatient setting or required further stabilization and recovery prior to returning to their usual place of living.

The goal of the unit is to facilitate the consumer's recovery and to assist with the transfer of care back into the community of their choice.  A multidisciplinary team provides assessment, treatment and care that places the consumer at the centre of their own care and considers the needs of the person's family and carers.  Planned program, activities and therapies aim to reduce the risk of relapse, promote recovery and foster independence in living and social skills, enabling a return to suitable community living.  Involvement of Community mental Health Teams, GP's, NGO's and other services ensures a comprehensive approach to care.

Amaroo

Amaroo is a unit that accommodates adults from the Greater Western AHS who are aged between 18-65 and who have a serious mental illness.  They are part of a targeted rehabilitation and recovery program and are at a low risk of harm to self or others and have a low absconding risk.

The goal of care is for consumers to gain necessary life skills to allow integration back into the community of their choice.  Focus of care is on recovery, relapse prevention and development of the necessary skills to allow community living.  A multidisciplinary ongoing assessment will review goals and needs on a regular basis to provide programs and services on and off the unit that suit the individual consumer.

Panorama Clinic - Bathurst Hospital campus

This unit is an admission unit for adult mental health patients aged between 18-65 and on a voluntary basis for the management of less severe mental health issues.  Mental health issues include, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, controlled bipolar and psychosis disorders as well as those patients with a dual diagnosis of mental health and drug and alcohol issues.

The goal of care is for a short term admission prior to returning to a less restrictive environment.  Achievement of the goal is through a comprehensive mental health assessment, risk assessment, regular reviews by a psychiatrist and medical officer, treatments and interventions incorporating a Personal Recovery framework focusing both the treatment of the illness and promoting well-being.  Consumers are encourage to attend a target group program that focuses on psycho-education to understand their illness, medication and treatment program. 

Rehabilitation Units

Manara Clinic

Manara is a unit for adult males with a severe mental illness from throughout the state who may not previously had access to extended rehabilitation to improve skills and gain insight into their mental illness.  

The goal of the program is for consumers to gain the necessary skills to successfully integrate back into the community by retuning to their area of origin at the completion of the program.  Programs aim to promote optimal independence prior to return to the community or a less restrictive environment.  A multidisciplinary assessment and ongoing review of progress towards goals assist to ensure recovery, relapse prevention and development of the necessary skills for community living.  Programs involve Life Skills programs or TAFE courses on campus and access to community based rehabilitation and recovery programs.

Turon House

Turon is a unit for adult males with a severe mental illness from throughout the state who may not previously had access to extended rehabilitation to improve skills and gain insight into their mental illness.  

The goal of the program is for consumers to gain the necessary skills to successfully integrate back into the community by retuning to their area of origin at the completion of the program.  Programs aim to promote optimal independence prior to return to the community or a less restrictive environment.  A multidisciplinary assessment and ongoing review of progress towards goals assist to ensure recovery, relapse prevention and development of the necessary skills for community living.  Programs involve Life Skills programs or TAFE courses on campus and access to community based rehabilitation and recovery programs.

Moonya

Moonya cottages provides care for adults with a severe mental illness who need rehabilitation and recovery services prior to returning to the community of their choice.  Residents must be willing to actively engage in programs and be able to live with others in shared accommodation.

The goal of care is to promote the mental and physical wellbeing of the residents by providing person centred care in a recovery framework and to return to the community of their choice.  Medium term and extended rehabilitation and recovery orientated program are offered to promote optimal independence.  Residents are encouraged to take part in in-house activities designed to enhance or maintain their life skills and attend activities and program off the unit, either on campus or in the wider community.

Windamere Building 

Macquarie Unit - Forensic Unit

The forensic unit is a state-wide slow stream rehabilitation ward for adult patients who are suffering from a major mental illness and have been found Not Guilty by Reason of Mental Illness or Unfit for Trial under the provisions of the Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990. 

The goal of care is to successfully prepare the person for discharge into the community and reduce relapse and recidivism rates.  A multidisciplinary team with focus care on rehabilitation and recovery with emphasis placed on all aspects of the person's recovery including: mental illness, living skills, relationships, education, vocation and social inclusion needs.  Community partnerships will be integral to assist the client to meet there rehabilitation goals successful to progress into the community.

Castlereagh Clinic - Medium Secure Unit

This unit is a state-wide slow stream rehabilitation unit of adult patients who are suffering from a major mental illness and have been presented with difficult and treatment resistant behaviours.

The goal of care is to successfully prepare the person for discharge into the community and reduce relapse and recidivism rates.  A multidisciplinary team with focus care on rehabilitation and recovery with emphasis placed on all aspects of the person's recovery including: mental illness, living skills, relationships, education, vocation and social inclusion needs.  Community partnerships will be integral to assist the client to meet there rehabilitation goals successful to progress into the community.

Infant Child Youth and Family Mental Health Services (including  CAMHS)

Across GWAHS the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service will include a 10 bed declared Inpatient Unit, Ambulatory Care and a Day Program for children and young people who have or are at risk of developing a mental illness up to the age of 18 years.  CAMHS is recovery focused with a holistic approach that includes the vocational/education needs and the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of children and young people.  The service focus is promotion, prevention, early intervention, treatment and continuing care and delivered in accordance with best available evidence.

Whilst the service aims to improve access to mental health services for all children, young people and their families GWAHS has a higher than state average number of Aboriginal young people, an increasing population of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) families, a number of children in/out of home care and young offenders.  Particular attention is required to provide a user friendly service to these vulnerable children and young people.  The inpatient unit will become a component of a 'step up' 'step down' model with processes to ensure appropriate transitions of care.
The Tertiary Model:  Children and adolescents in need of intensive assessment and treatment beyond the scope of what can be provided within ambulatory services will be considered for admission to the CAMHS Inpatient Unit.  The CAMHS unit will provide more intensive multidisciplinary assessment and treatment.  The combinations of effective treatments required in these settings necessitate a higher level of staffing than for adult units, both in numbers and level of expertise.  

Suitability for admission will be determined by the severity and complexity of presenting problems, levels of impairment and risk.  This will include children and adolescents at risk of harm to themselves or others, those scheduled under the "Mental Health Act" 2007, and those whose presenting problem is of sufficient complexity, or intensity, to necessitate the more restrictive care in an inpatient setting.  Some children and young people, while being managed adequately in the community, require a more specialised and structured assessment or intervention offered in an inpatient unit.

Other Bloomfield Campus Services:

MHEC RAP - Mental Health Emergency Care - Rural Access Project 

The Mental Health Emergency Care Rural Access Project (MHEC RAP) is operated from Orange; the service aims to enhance the management of mental health emergencies occurring throughout the Greater Western AHS. 
The MHEC RAP service will provide GWAHS wide 24 hour access to a comprehensive telepsychiatry assessment service which will provide expert clinical input about diagnosis and management to health staff at distant sites.  Assessment of acutely presenting Mental Health emergencies will be enabled by video conferencing facilities linking MHEC RAP team based in Orange with Emergency Departments within a number of rural hospitals.

Parklands Activity Centre

The activity centre provides activities for long and short stay patients where they can socialize with each other, occupying their waking day with hobbies, crafts and entertainment thus gaining living skills by interaction with others and staff.  Parklands is open 5 days a week between 9:30am - 12pm also 2pm - 4pm with the exception of public holidays.

Living Skills

Living skills is situated on the grounds of Bloomfield campus.  This service provides Occupational and Allied Health Assistant services to both inpatients and outpatients, aimed to maintain or improve people's independent living skills.