Dr Pam McGrathResearch by Central Quensland University's International Program of Psycho-Social Health Research (IPP-SHR) has revealed that health professionals working in institutional mental health can face significant obstacles in their efforts to care for their dying patients. .

The pressure of working within the prescriptive legal framework, which includes mandated coronial inquests into all deaths, is seen by the mental health staff as a significant barrier to providing palliative care.  

As Dr Pam McGrath explains: "The study shows that there is a mistaken belief that staff are legally bound to engage in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with all dying patients, even when deemed medically futile".

The research found that the health professionals were inhibited in their care by fear of the legal consequences of their actions.

"The staff interviewed were capable, sensitive professionals who were guided in their work by a strong ethos of patient-centred care. The fear of the legal scrutiny imposes a profound tension that interferes with the caring," said Dr McGrath.

This research highlights the need for mental health practitioners having a thorough understanding of the legal context of their practice to reduce the fear of litigation and address incorrect assumptions.

The findings indicate the need for policy development to improve the integration of best practice palliative care into mental health care delivery.

Further information on this and other IPP-SHR studies are included in IPP-SHR's quarterly newsletter, ‘Psych-Social Update' Volume 2 Issue 3.