MENTAL health care services aren't meeting the needs of the region, a Wimmera health service chief says.
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Wimmera Health Care Group is not funded for mental health care and Horsham's Wimmera Base Hospital does not have mental health beds.
Ballarat Health Services is the closest hospital to the Wimmera that has mental health beds.
Wimmera Health Care Group chief executive Catherine Morley said more mental health services were needed for all levels of care - and not just in Horsham.
"The service isn't meeting the needs of our community," she said.
"We haven't received any funding for mental health and only recently got some specialist outpatient funding this financial year. But as a service provider of mental health, we don't get a specific amount of money for metal health services.
"We definitely need more mental health services in the region and we need them across a range of levels. We need them at the acute service level, at the level where people are living with ill mental health and need constant support, and we need them at the preventative care level to look at the early signs. They also can't just be in Horsham - our region is huge."
She said Wimmera Base Hospital assessed and treated everyone who came into its emergency department - including those who needed urgent mental health care.
"They are all triaged according to their category and then treated appropriately. More urgent cases are treated earlier," she said.
"The only health service that provides acute mental health care in our region is Ballarat Health Services. So if someone comes into emergency and triaged as critical and they need to be treated for mental health, then we work with BHS.
"BHS will provide some clinical assessment within two hours and there's a range of ways we can do that, including through telehealth.
"Then other service providers can be involved, such as paramedics or GPs. We then try to work out a plan that's in the best interest of that person to keep them well.
"We don't have mental health beds, either, so if they need a mental health bed they need to go elsewhere. Ballarat is our preferred spot, but finding a mental health bed in an acute situation is extremely difficult across the state of Victoria."
Ms Morley said the hospital could make referrals to other health services.
"Other people come into the hospital for other mental health-related care and we try to refer them on appropriately if they're not acutely unwell," she said.
"Part of our problem is that the ability to get a referral to a GP or psychologist is very difficult, so we make sure we follow up with these people to ensure they are treated in a timely manner and get the care they need.
"There are a number of community options out there. With a GP referral they can get a certain number of visits to a mental health professional and can be put onto a mental health plan.
"But the service is complex and very difficult to negotiate if you're not well. There are also lots of mental health care providers in the region - there isn't just one clear door that you can go in and someone will provide you with the care you need."
Ballarat Health Services' submission to the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System addressed the need for more mental health beds in the region, suggesting Horsham as an ideal central location.
The submission said emergency departments in the Grampians were dealing with significantly higher numbers of people needing treatment for self harm than other parts of the state.
Ms Morley said Wimmera Health Care Group was working with the Victorian Hospital Association, Ballarat Health Services and the Department of Health to look into making a submission into the inquiry.
"I'm looking forward to what the Royal Commission has to say and see how the government will implement the recommendations," Ms Morley said.
"Our region has some really poor health outcomes - some of the worst in the state. There is some innovative stuff out there and services being provided, such as the Rural Outreach Program and the work that Healthy Minds Horsham does.
"But we need more than just a couple of innovative programs that aren't funded forever. We need a sustained interjection of support for our region across all types of mental health ill health services.
"(Mental Health Minister) Martin Foley came up here and we reinforced to him that we needed a co-ordinated, long-term funded number of services that were a one-stop-shop for people who need mental health care."
Wimmera Health Care Group recently received specialist outpatient clinic funding specifically for mental health care which it will use to recruit a psychologist.
"We also got funding for cancer and diabetes care, so we're hoping to use this psychologist to help people with chronic diseases to get their mental health into the best possible way. We got four years of funding for that role," Ms Morley said.
- If you, or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Help on 1800 55 1800 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
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