New plan for mental health services in Mount Gambier after chief psychiatrist's intervention

South Australia's chief psychiatrist found issues relating to the management of at-risk patients who were leaving the Emergency Department at Mount Gambier. (ABC South East SA: Kate Hill)

The Limestone Coast Local Health Network has developed a plan to improve mental health services after the state's chief psychiatrist intervened. 

The Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (OCP) placed a gazettal condition on the service to monitor and manage the quality and safety of mental health care in the region. 

A routine inspection of mental health services in Mount Gambier was conducted by clinicians from the OCP in April.

The inspection identified issues relating to the management of at-risk patients who left the emergency department.

There were also issues relating to the current reliance on police assistance to manage patient behaviour, the reporting of incidents and facility concerns about its duress system.

The Mount Gambier Hospital will now receive a training specialist from Adelaide to assist the Emergency Department's response to mental health patients as a part of the improvement plan.

Ngaire Buchanan says the local health network has developed a plan to improve its mental health services. (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

Limestone Coast Local Health Network's chief executive, Ngaire Buchanan said the region had seen "exponential growth" in the number of patients being admitted to the hospital's six-bed mental health unit.

"[We'll be] working closely with all of the great local health organisations to be able to do that."

Ms Buchanan said the network was also "looking at" the possibility of increasing the number of dedicated mental health beds in the hospital from six.

The hospital will have a training specialist from Adelaide help refine the Emergency Department's response to mental health patients. (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

Help for staff

Since the chief psychiatrist's inspection, a mental health-trained liaison worker has been put in place to assist staff in the emergency department. 

As part of the plan, the hospital will also have a mental health liaison worker who can go into the main ward areas to start work with patients who may present with a mental health condition.

Aim to assist at community level

A major part of the plan is to assist people in the community with mental health issues before they reach crisis point and present at the hospital.

"One of our key areas is we can actually prevent people coming into the hospital from a community point of view," Ms Buchanan said.

"Then we will actually be able to reduce the numbers requiring those beds.

Ngaire Buchanan says the plan hopes to see people helped in the community before needing to present to hospital when they are in crisis. (ABC South East SA: Grace Whiteside)

"At the moment, we are really loath to send people to Adelaide for mental health services.

"[We're] working closely with all of the great local health organisations to be able to do that."

The plan has been signed off and the chief psychiatrist is expected to confirm it can be implemented by the local health network.