Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service celebrates two years of successful operation

Since its milestone first anniversary one year ago, the WA Country Health Service’s (WACHS) Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service has expanded to provide support to additional sites across regional and remote WA and helped more country people receive care closer to home.

This vital service coordinated by the WACHS Command Centre provides specialist emergency mental health support via high definition videoconferencing equipment to clinicians treating patients in country WA. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

WACHS Director Command Centre Charles O’Hanlon said the Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service had expanded to 85 small hospitals and nursing posts around the state.

“In the past year we have connected new WACHS sites, increased mental health education to clinicians and raised awareness of how the Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service can help local clinicians to support patients experiencing mental health or drug and alcohol issues,” Mr O’Hanlon said. 

“We’ve also received positive feedback from our skilled country clinicians about the value of 24/7 access to specialist mental health support.”

The Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service team of more than 23 doctors and nurses are available to frontline clinicians at the touch of a button and have aided in the care of more than 3300 country mental health patients since the service commenced in July 2019.

“Importantly, the number of country people receiving specialist care closer to home and avoiding transfer out of their home region has risen to almost 87 per cent.

“The service also ensures that patients are connected back into local mental health and drug and alcohol supports, who provide high-quality care within country communities across WA.

“This means that these patients have been able to receive care in their local area, close to family, friends and broader support networks which can aid in their recovery.”