Mental Health Services

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing about mental health. Could the Minister for Health and Wellbeing please update the chamber on how the government is doing to support mental health for mothers.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:16): As members of the council would be aware, the government has worked very hard to rebalance the health system towards mental health and part of that is providing support for mothers needing mental health support in the months after birth. At all ages and stages of life, this government supports services for South Australians to maintain positive mental health and wellbeing.

Helen Mayo House is one of the services of SA Health which provides inpatient services for parents who have significant mental health challenges in the postnatal period. It has been my privilege to open the annual Helen Mayo House conference each year that I have been the Minister for Health and Wellbeing and to celebrate the dedicated specialist staff in just one part of our mental health care system, and taking the opportunity to confer with them and learn from them—both local and interstate and international colleagues—how we can best support the very important parent-infant bond in those first months of life.

Women carers and their infants aged 12 months and under can be admitted to Helen Mayo House if they are the parent with primary responsibility for the infant and have a mental illness. Mental health problems such as severe depression, anxiety or psychotic illnesses are considered to be significant if they impact on the parent's ability to function in everyday life and care for the child.

Parent carers admitted to Helen Mayo House are likely to have an average stay of two to three weeks, and during this time they receive care from psychiatrists, nurses, clinical psychologists, social workers and parent-infant therapists. Parents will also have the opportunity to participate in various group programs run on the wards, such as mindfulness, skills training, baby massage, arts and music sessions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all in our community but for women birthing babies with either pre-existing or emerging mental health issues I am sure it has been particularly difficult. The same can be said for the families that support these mothers as they journey through pregnancy, birth and the infant period with their babies, and for the healthcare staff, including midwives and nurses, GPs, neonatologists, obstetricians, psychologists and social workers, to name just some of the clinical team who provide support.

Throughout the past two years of the pandemic, however, Helen Mayo House clinical and other staff have been there for mothers. They have continued to provide an important and specialised service to parents and babies without fuss, without fanfare, despite the infinite challenges COVID has brought.

Acknowledging the demand levels for this service and the analysis of data for future need, the government is proud to be doubling the size of Helen Mayo House at the new Women's and Children's Hospital. Helen Mayo will become a 12-bed service, doubling in size from its current six. This government has a strong commitment to providing world-class health care and world-class care to mothers, babies and their families.

I take the opportunity again to congratulate the staff of Helen Mayo House for the mental health care and support they have provided professionally, quietly and passionately to the mothers and families of South Australia throughout the pandemic and for the last 30 years.