27 October 2022
The ANMF (SA Branch) has welcomed the introduction of an extra six specialist mental health nurses at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Their appointment comes three months after a fast-tracked recruitment drive was launched at the WCH to address the growing issue of children’s mental health across the state.
The hospital has seen a 37 per cent increase in mental health presentations over the past two years.
The additional specialist roles include:
• Two acute crisis response nurses to provide initial assessment of ED presentations and post-discharge support
• An emergency mental health nurse to deliver care across the 24-hour service
• A neurodevelopmental and disability nurse to support children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism
• A culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) nurse to help these population groups receive tailored treatment
• A quality improvement nurse who will work with clinicians and consumers to improve mental health services
The ANMF (SA Branch) has long agitated for additional mental health resources, mental health staff and alternative places of treatment to reduce the strain on emergency departments which are ill-equipped to deal with the needs of mental health patients.
“Mental health continues to be a major crisis in this country and governments must pull out all stops to help counter the surge through early intervention support services and additional mental health resources, mental health staff and alternative places of treatment to reduce the strain on emergency departments,’’ ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM said.
The State’s Chief Psychiatrist Dr John Brayley – who has led an inquiry into South Australia’s mental health services - has told The Advertiser “skilled and dedicated” health workers were “responding to increased emergency demand” and “need access to more follow-up options for the patients they see”.
The appointment of the six new nurses comes three months after a fast-tracked recruitment drive was launched at the WCH to address the growing issue of children’s mental health across the state.
The six new positions form a key part of the Government’s election pledge to deliver an additional 60 nurses and doctors to ease critical workforce shortages at the WCH.
The $37 million investment will also include the recruitment of six specialist cancer nurses.