Commitment and collaboration for excellence in older persons' mental health: the ACT experience

To describe the development of the older persons' mental health service in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), a region with both urban and rural characteristics.

Elements include: (i) collaboration with health-care and non-governmental organizations; (ii) provision of consultation-liaison service to patients, family and professional care-providers via collaboration with general practitioners; (iii) partnerships built through consultation, regular communication, education and training of primary health-care providers; and (iv) development of a multidisciplinary academic centre in partnership with the local universities designed to enhance roles in education, training and research. The disciplines of general practice, nursing, psychology, social work and psychiatry collaborate in service provision, education and an active research centre.

An expanded, multidisciplinary comprehensive service has been developed from an initial consultation-liaison model, illustrating that commitment and collaboration with existing services and carer groups can advance care.