CAIDE Presents - AI in private spaces: Looking into the psychiatric panopticon

Join us for this webinar given by CAIDE researchers investigating the Ethical, legal and social issues of automated nursing in acute psychiatric settings.

‘Digitally assisted nursing observation’ is being used to automate part of the routine monitoring of psychiatric patients. Patient rooms are being installed with sensors to assist in monitoring patients and minimise sleep disruption. Sensors currently monitor vital signs and allow for remote video, with future developments to include self-harm, assault and suicide behaviour detection.

Initial trials in the UK have been received well by patients, family and staff, however, concerns about patient safety, privacy, and reduced staffing levels persist. Victoria is planning to introduce this technology into several acute psychiatric units. Given that half of psychiatric inpatients are involuntarily committed, the ethical, legal and social implications of such a move require serious scrutiny and consideration.

Looking into the psychiatric panopticon is seed-funded by CAIDE’s Pervasive Devices – AI in private spaces research program.

Presenters

• Professor Bernadette McSherry – Professor McSherry is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne and part-time Commissioner with the Victorian Law Reform Commission as well as being an Australian Research Council Federation Fellow, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law.
• Dr Piers Gooding – Dr Piers Gooding is a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School, and an Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow. His service and research focus on the law and politics of disability, with an emphasis on mental health.
• Dr Simon D’Alfonso – Dr Simon D’Alfonso is a lecturer in Digital Health in the School of Computing and Information Systems (CIS) at the University of Melbourne.
• Cathy Daniel – Dr Cathy Daniel is a Senior Lecturer in Nursing in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Melbourne.Cathy is also engaged in clinical practice as a Consultat Liaison Psychiatry Nurse at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and works casually on PACER.