Critical Incident Psychological Services

Introduction

Background

Findings of HA, local and overseas studies consistently show that healthcare staff often face critical incidents, which affect their psychological well-being, work satisfaction and performance.

Common critical incidents at hospitals include:

  • Workplace violence (e.g. verbal threats, physical assaults etc.)
  • Medical incidents
  • Sudden death or serious injury of co-workers
  • Complaints from patients and their carers
  • Multiple casualties

Our Mission

  • To prevent and alleviate the impacts of critical incidents on staff
  • To plan and provide the following services with reference to the stepped-care psychological service model:
    - Preventive services
    - Peer emotional support
    - Early identification and intervention for emotional disturbances
    - Critical incident psychological services
  • To promote caring culture among staff

Service Model

Stepped-Care Model

To promote safety culture among healthcare staff and improve accessibility to psychological services, Oasis and 7 clusters have collaborated to set up 8 CIPS Centres since 2014. With the innovative Stepped-Care Model, Oasis, CIPS Centres and Critical Incident Support Teams (CISTs) strengthen staff psychological services, including prevention, peer emotional support, early identification and psychological treatment.

Colleagues can contact CIST directly to schedule peer emotional support services, if needed. Also, they can self-arrange individual consultation at Staff Psychological Services Clinic. Based on the results of a brief triage over the phone, colleagues are arranged to see Social Workers (CIPS Centre Managers) for counselling services, or Clinical Psychologists for psychological treatment.

Hub-Spoke Model

The Corporate, Cluster and Hospital levels are connected through a Hub-Spoke Model to provide quality and reliable psychological services for staff.

Governance

Service Target

1. HA staff

2. In the case of critical incidents, individual services are provided to family members of staff

Users' Sharing

1. Individual Peer Emotional Support Services

2. Crisis Management Services for Major Incidents


3. Grief Support Services

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