Use of a quality improvement strategy to increase drug and alcohol consultation and care opportunities for mental health inpatients in rural and remote New South Wales.

Problem: Mental health inpatients have high rates of co-morbid substance use disorders which may exceed 50% in addition to the presenting complaint(s). Treating teams may prioritise, and substance use disorders are often not addressed.

Setting: Dubbo inpatient mental health units.

Use of a quality improvement strategy to introduce co-design of the mental health discharge plan in rural and remote New South Wales.

Problem: Patients have not traditionally partnered in the design of their discharge plans, with discharge summaries at times not completed. In rural settings, discharge planning communicates care to a complex geographic area with fragmented resources. Patients may also be socially disadvantaged, with relatives and friends sometimes excluded.