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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-12-01 Daily Xml
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Mental Health Services

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:05): This is from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Association, a media release today, and I am sure you have read it, stating that at a time when the COVID pandemic—

The PRESIDENT: Perhaps just the specifics of it.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: The only state government run mental health crisis lifeline—if there is only one state government run mental health crisis, what is the—I don't understand. The triage service.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:06): My understanding is that there are two. There is the emergency triage and liaison service, and then there is mental health and triage, which has experienced a sustained growth in demand during the COVID period when compared to pre COVID. I am told from a briefing earlier this year that represents a doubling of demand for the service. There certainly have been issues in relation to the mental health—I suspect that the honourable member is, if you like, passing on a comment from a union in relation to the Mental Health Triage Service because that is a service that has experienced pressure both in terms of infrastructure and other issues.

I am advised that in terms of supporting the service, the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, which hosts the Mental Health Triage Service, is in the process of exploring the opportunity to have a second provider to provide additional overnight capacity in the Mental Health Triage Service to respond to additional demand.

I also make the point to honourable members that not only is this government committed to providing a 24-hour emergency telephone service but we are also committed to providing a 24-hour Urgent Mental Health Care Centre. My understanding is that early next year Neami, the provider of that service, hopes to be able to activate the 24-hour operation. There will be some people who will choose to use a telephone service and many will choose to have the lounge-like environment and support of peer workers and clinicians offered by the urgent mental health care service.

I also take the opportunity to highlight that the government is also providing mental health support lines in relation to COVID—COVID-specific mental health support lines—which, again, is another partnership with a non-government provider. My understanding is that Uniting Communities provides that, and it is both inreach and follow-up. We are continuing to invest in our 24-hour emergency responses, and that will be both by telephone and in person.

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