Part 1. An Australian Tri-Disciplinary Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service Description

Descriptions of multidisciplinary consultation-liaison psychiatry teams are notably scarce in contemporary literature which is a significant gap given the articulation of the dimensions of service delivery is necessary for service evaluation. This exploratory-descriptive qualitative study examined a consultation-liaison psychiatry team consisting of medical, nursing and psychology staff within a major metropolitan health service in Victoria, Australia. The aim of this two-part study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the service (Part 1) and the mental health nursing role within it (Part 2) as documented by the organisation and articulated by team members. Data were collected through a document audit, a focus group and semi-structured individual interviews with team members. Data were examined using content analysis for the structure, process and outcome dimensions of service delivery. A preliminary service description was produced, verified and finalised. The final description includes staffing profile, general and specialist team configuration, model of service delivery, referral processes, mandated data collection and desired outcomes. A team approach was emphasised with each discipline offering different perspectives, knowledge and skills, collaborating to provide coordinated care. There were also shared functions such as patient engagement, assessment and reviews. Resource deficits impacted the service's ability to meet demand and to review performance against outcome measures. This paper adds to the limited literature base describing how multidisciplinary consultation-liaison psychiatry teams operate and can potentially contribute to the development of standards for service delivery.