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Tasmania’s highly successful Mental Health Emergency Response (MHER) service – which began operating in the North West from Burnie late last year – has now expanded its coverage to Devonport and surrounds.
As part of the service, mental health clinicians work in close partnership with Ambulance Tasmania (AT), Tasmania Police and colleagues from Statewide Mental Health Services to rapidly respond to mental health crises in the community.
As of last week (19 August 2024), clinicians based in Devonport are available – in addition to those in Burnie – to respond to crises received by AT and Tasmania Police in the surrounding areas 10 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Since it was established in Southern Tasmania in 2022 and then expanded to Burnie in November 2023, MHER has demonstrated the benefits of providing respectful, dignified and compassionate care to people experiencing mental health distress in the community setting.
In the South, the service has responded to over 4000 people, with 72% being supported to remain in the community and avoid unnecessary hospital attendances and/or hospital admissions.
In the North West, MHER has received 336 total callouts, with 77 % supported to remain in the community.
Not only do people have better outcomes by avoiding unnecessary hospital stays, but these community-based interventions reduce pressure on our hospitals, ambulance and police services.
In a further significant development, work has also now commenced to further expand our Mental Health Emergency Response service to Northern Tasmania.
The Department of Health has established a reference group to guide the development and implementation of a two-year trial that is tailored to the needs of Northen Tasmania, commencing in 2025.
