People with a lived experience leading change
Overview
Objectives and actions
Action
Planned completion
Status
1.1.1
Continue to support and resource the PPIMS Network to expand and build a consistent, independent and diverse voice that is a partner in the governance of the plan
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
1.1.2
Support and contribute to the building of state-wide and national network of people with a lived/living experience through peak body, professional development opportunities, co-design, and advocacy
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
1.1.3
Actively recruit a diverse group of People with a Lived/Living Experience into membership and leadership roles to participate in planning, delivery and evaluation of services, ensuring reach and engagement with People with a Lived/Living Experience in underserviced and hard-to-reach groups, including those who lack strong community connections
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
Action
Planned completion
Status
1.2.1
Continue to investigate, collaborate and leverage off availability of subsidies, co-contributions and collaborative opportunities and at a local, regional, state and national level
Planned completion
2020/21
Status
1.2.2
Contribute to the development of mentoring, coaching, supervision and co-reflection opportunities for all
Planned completion
Ongoing
Status
On track
1.2.3
Develop a register of People with a Lived/Living Experience available as speakers, educators, trainers, supervisors/mentors and researchers to support the service system and build the capacity of the broader workforce
Planned completion
Ongoing
Status
On hold
Action
Planned completion
Status
1.3.1
Identify and share best practice ideas, case studies, resources and tools that support the system to undertake authentic engagement occurring at the needs assessment, design, delivery, review and evaluation stages of the commissioning cycle
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.3.2
Develop an online communications strategy to link a wider audience of People with a Lived/Living Experience and services to promote participation and co-design, information sharing, evaluation and networking opportunities
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.3.3
Provide oversight and advice to the Plan’s governance groups, ensuring that actions that relate to the engagement and involvement of People with a Lived/Living Experience are meaningful, genuine, authentic and embedded throughout implementation
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.3.4
Identify, inform and gain feedback from People with a Lived/Living Experience and experiences with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
Action
Planned completion
Status
1.4.1
Review, research and continue to develop regional coordination
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.4.2
Develop a clearinghouse of best practice resources on engagement of People with a Lived/Living Experience
Planned completion
Ongoing
Status
On track
1.4.3
Sustain and strengthen existing peer participation and collaboration mechanisms through mentoring, supervision, peer reflection and self-care initiatives
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.4.4
Review, share and utilise existing plans, research and guidelines from all levels of government and industry relevant to People with a Lived/Living Experience’s role in service delivery and commissioning
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
Action
Planned completion
Status
1.5.1
Promote and participate in local, regional, state and national research to better understand the existing profile of peer work emerging issues, commitment and culture
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.5.2
Promote and contribute to national and state-wide initiatives aimed at building the Lived/Living Experience peer workforce, including the QLD framework for Lived Experience Workforce and National Guidelines for Peer Workforce
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.5.3
Contribute towards broader workforce development strategies being developed at a national and state level, and use this to co-design and implement a local and regional response towards a Lived/Living Experiencer Workforce Development
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
1.5.4
Identify and promote a comprehensive range of workplace roles for People with a Lived/Living Experience in the mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and other drug treatment services sectors
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.5.5
Identify opportunities for peer workers to become service providers through the NDIS
Planned completion
2022/23
Status
On track
1.5.6
Identify and contribute to shaping organisational readiness that embeds people with Lived/Living Experience and supports good mental health and wellbeing in the workplace
Planned completion
Ongoing
Status
On track
Governance
The Peer Participation in Mental Health Services (PPIMS) Network is comprised of close to 300 people with a lived experience of mental illness who come together to work collaboratively to actively influence the mental health system. Regular meetings achieve a number of objectives, including promoting a collective voice; supporting others with lived experience to get involved; receiving regular updates; and providing advice on emerging issues. In addition to having lived experience of mental illness, members are engaged with the mental health system in various ways, including as peer workers, non-peer mental health workers, volunteers, committee members, and educators. A number of members are not engaged with the mental health system.
The PPIMS Network has direct oversight over implementation of Chapter One – People with a lived experience leading change within Planning for Wellbeing.
As a result, the People with a Lived Experience Advocating Strategic Engagement (PLEASE) Partnership Group has been established to carry out the implementation of Chapter One. PLEASE membership consists of consumer and carer representatives from Brisbane North PHN Partnership Groups and community members with specialised skills relevant to the Regional Plan, Chapter One. PLEASE meet on the first Tuesday of the month.
Membership
Please contact us for further information about the PPIMS Network.
Danie Williams-Brennan
Project Officer | Lived Experience Networks
Brisbane North PHN
Jen Frost
Lived Experience Representative
Lee-Anne Finter
Lived Experience Representative
Mikaela Moore
Lived Experience Representative
Natasha Malmstrom
Lived Experience Representative
Paul Justice
Lived Experience Representative
Paula Arro
Lived Experience Engagement Coordinator | Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs
Brisbane North PHN
Richelle Spence
Lived Experience Representative
Tina Pentland
Lived Experience Representative
Achievements
Authentic collaboration with people with lived experience, both service users and their families or carers, is the flagship driver of progress toward the shared objectives of Chapter One – People with a Lived Experience Leading Change. This work has been lead principally by the Peer Participation in Mental Health Services (PPIMS) Network – a Network of people with a lived experience of mental health issues who share a desire to actively participate in the development, implementation and review of mental health services in the region.
The establishment of the PPIMS Network has been a flagship initiative of the PHN, nurturing and growing the collective voice of people with a lived experience who want to be actively involved in mental health reform. The Network also serves as an inspiration for others, locally, nationally and internationally, looking to embed lived experience engagement in their services and system.
The work has been recognised internationally with the inclusion of the PPIMS Network in “Patient Engagement – How Patient-Provider Partnerships Transform Healthcare Organisations”.
A summary of the key achievements against the five shared objectives is included below.
Summary of Achievements
The PPIMS Network has seen continued growth since it was established in 2016, with close to 300 people on the mailing list at September 2019. Members have been engaged to participate in co-design workshops, tender assessment panels, recruitment panels, as well as informing the content and design of Chapter 1 of Planning for Wellbeing; and have representation on a range of stakeholder groups, including those recently established by Carers Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Mental Health, and the Queensland Council for LGBTI Health. Members sit alongside practitioners, service providers and policy makers, actively advocating and representing the collective voice of people with lived experience.
The PPIMS Network have worked to secure subsidies to support people with lived experience to undertake a range of capacity building initiatives, including supporting:
- 30 people to undertake Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work
- 50 people to complete Mental Health First Aid Training
- 25 young people, youth workers and parents to complete Mental Health First Aid for Young People
- 30 people to complete Voices for Change – Speakers Training.
Other initiatives have included the establishment of a Community of Practice for Peer Workers, and other scholarships to attend a range of local, state, national and international conferences.
Training and support has also been provided to PPIMS representatives to actively participate in the PHN’s commissioning cycle across all program areas, recruitment panels, tender assessment panels and broader advocacy work.
The diversity of the PPIMS Network has proven extremely valuable in bringing appropriate lived experience representation to all levels of governance supporting implementation of Planning for Wellbeing. This includes people with a lived experience of either mental illness, suicide and/or alcohol or other drug (AOD) use, actively engaged and contributing to the Strategic Coordination Group, the AOD Partnership Group, the Infant, Child, Youth and Families Partnership Group, the Collaboration in Mind Group, and the Suicide Prevention Partnership Group.
Network members have also been appointed to a range of State and National committees, including the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum; the Queensland Lived Experience Workforce Framework as well as a number of Hospital and Health Service committees.
The successful coordination of the PPIMS Network has been recognised by the Commonwealth Department of Health, resulting in the PHN being funded to establish and coordinate the National PHN Mental Health Lived Experience Engagement Network (MHLEEN). It is expected that MHLEEN will create and nurture further opportunities for people with a lived experience to participate in the planning, delivery and evaluation of mental health, suicide prevention and AOD services nationally.
The PPIMS Network use a variety of mechanisms to establish and sustain a region-wide approach to participation, including:
- Sharing resources and promoting opportunities at regular PPIMS Network meetings
- Maintaining regular communications to all PPIMS members via email
- Updating the My Mental Health website
- Maintaining the lived experience PHN Sharepoint page.
The PPIMS Network also regularly invites organisations and other guest speakers to present and consult with members on a range of topics. Of note, this has included the Productivity Commissioner, the Queensland Government Independent Patient Rights Advisor Coordinator, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Local Area Coordinators, the Queensland Mental Health Commission and the Queensland Alliance for Mental Health.
The Network has established itself as a central point of contact for engagement for practitioners and service providers, whether private, NGO or HHS, to consult to ensure authentic participation – and the sector is responding accordingly with growing requests to secure an audience with the Network. The establishment of MHLEEN will serve to strengthen this collaborative approach, by sharing learnings across Australia.
In partnership with Brook RED, Brisbane North PHN, and Metro North HHS, members of the PPIMS Network have actively contributed to the development of the Queensland Lived Experience Workforce Network (QLEWN) – further expanding the reach of lived experience expertise through-out Queensland.
Success stories
Continued growth and expansion of PPIMS Network
Objective 1.1: Strengthen and diversify the collective voice of people with a lived experience in order to drive service improvements…
Development of Lived Experience Workforce
Objective 1.1: Strengthen and diversify the collective voice of people with a lived experience in order to drive service improvements…
Establishment of MHLEEN
Objective 1.2: Make available training and capacity building for people with a lived experience Action 1.2.1…
