The adult mental health services provide specialist assessment, treatment, and support for patients between 18 – 65 years of age who are experiencing a wide range of severe and persistent mental illnesses and disorders that significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life.
Community and inpatient services are available according to consumer and family assessment of needs. Contemporary evidenced based interventions are delivered either by structured programs or by care co-ordination.
Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services can be contacted through the MH Call tele-triage team.
All initial assessments are conducted by the MH Call tele-triage team who will assess the risk and immediate mental health needs of the individual and will determine the most appropriate care pathway to respond to individual needs.
Adult Mental Health teams are located across the Metro South Health service area. Referrals will be made by the MH Call service to an Adult Mental Health team for ongoing support and treatment of individuals, and to their families, based on the individual’s current address. Information provided at the time of the referral, in consultation with the team will determine responses time.
Under the National Healthcare Agreement, Queensland public hospital and clinics associated with the public hospitals can bulk bill patients through Medicare of some services. This applies where there is a referral from a GP to an approved Consultant Psychiatrist. Patients can choose to be seen as a bulk billed patient or be seen as a public patient. The clinic will continue to offer services free-of-charge and there is no additional ‘out of pocket’ expenses for the consultations.
If admission is required, the service provides short to medium term specialist inpatient care to patients. The duration of stay is determined by the severity of illness, response to treatment and available supportive networks. There is a strong focus on carer and family involvement, partnerships with the relevant stakeholders and sharing responsibility for recovery.
Inpatient services are provided in the following hospitals:
Patients have the right to comprehensive and integrated mental health care that meets their individual needs and achieves the best possible outcomes in terms of their recovery. During the initial phase of assessing an individual’s mental health, a comprehensive assessment, including questionnaires, may be utilised by the clinical team to develop a treatment plan. All patients accepted for ongoing care will be allocated a clinician and psychiatrist who will work with the patient in identifying goals for treatment, frequency of contact and expected duration of service.
The service aims to maintain continuity of care to deliver an integrated and least restrictive service to patients by working in close consultation with other multidisciplinary teams and other services. The service will initiate specialist therapies working within an assertive care coordination approach. The service aims to provide service closer to the home of patients and has a strong focus on recovery and carer involvement. Community mental health services are provided across the Metro South Health Service area.
Treatment and interventions are determined by the outcome of the patient’s assessment, focused on their specific needs and are developed in collaboration with them, and where possible, their carers and families. The length of the time that a patient may receive care will be determined by the type and severity of illness, care needs identified and the patient’s responses to the interventions provided.
Interventions for the treatment of mental health adult presentations can include:
Adult Mental Health Services at other hospitals and centres
