The Tasmanian Liberal Government’s successful mental health emergency response service will expand to the North West from next week.
Mental Health Emergency Response – North West is part of a two-year trial designed to boost access to timely, evidence-based mental health care in the region.
The new service will take learnings from the successful emergency response model in the South, and will provide a customised model of care that is tailored to meet the needs of the North West community, taking into account the region’s geography and demographics.
Premier and Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Jeremy Rockliff, said the new service will provide community-based mental health care, helping reduce preventable Emergency Department attendances.
“The Tasmanian Liberal Government is doing what matters for our community by delivering the mental health services the North West community needs,” Premier Rockliff said.
“Since its establishment in early 2022, Mental Health Emergency Response – South has supported more than 2800 Tasmanians, with 75 per cent of these people able to remain in the community.
“We have learnt from the southern service that providing respectful, dignified and compassionate care in the community setting can lead to better outcomes for people in mental health distress.
“We also know having a specialised Mental Health Emergency Response service can take pressure off our hospital Emergency Departments by reducing avoidable presentations and reduces demand on our ambulance and police services.
“This is a key component of our long-term plan to deliver contemporary, world-class mental health care across the State.”
The Mental Health Emergency Response – North West service will include:
- Mental health clinicians to provide a rapid response to mental health crises in the community, working in close partnership with Ambulance Tasmania, Tasmania Police and colleagues from Statewide Mental Health Services and the Emergency Department of the North West Regional Hospital.
- Clinicians based in Burnie and Devonport will respond to calls received by Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmania Police in the surrounding areas across a 10-hour shift, seven days a week.
- A clinical nurse educator will also provide ongoing education to Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmania Police to support responses to mental health matters.
A new Statewide Coordinator position has also been established to support the Mental Health Emergency Response operations in the South and North West.
“I would like to welcome and congratulate Glenn Garlick on his appointment to this important role,” Premier Rockliff said.
The first stage of Mental Health Emergency Response – North West commences on November 27 operating out of Burnie, with the Devonport-based team expected to commence in early 2024.
Quotes attributable to Statewide Coordinator for Access Mental Health and Mental Health Emergency Response, Glenn Garlick:
I am very pleased to have been appointed as the Statewide Coordinator for Access Mental Health and Mental Health Emergency Response. I believe this role is important in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the Tasmanian community. One important aspect of this is the provision of support to the Mental Health Emergency Response service being implemented here in the North West of Tasmania.
I believe that the Mental Health Emergency Response service is an exciting initiative for the North West of the State. Through this important partnership with Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmania Police, we aim to improve outcomes by providing timely and appropriate mental health care when and where people need it.
I believe that we also have a unique opportunity to share the valuable insights and key learnings obtained from the southern model. This collaborative approach will allow us to build upon the success of the Mental Health Emergency Response in the South of the State and ensures that the services we provide are tailored to the specific needs of the local community within the North West region.
