Mount Gambier mental health service gets chief psychiatrist’s tick of approval

Mount Gambier Hospital’s mental health services have seen improvement after the state’s top psychiatrist found its post-emergency care was below standard.

There has been some improvement at a major regional hospital after an earlier routine inspection found its mental health services were sub-standard.

The conditions imposed by the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (OCP) in August on The Mount Gambier and Districts Health Services facility was removed on Thursday.

The condition was first implemented following a routine inspection by the OCP on August 5.

It required the chief psychiatrist, Dr John Brayley, to approve an intervention plan to monitor and manage the quality and safety of mental health care in the service.

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No restrictions were imposed on the service while it was under the conditions.

The state government plans to double the number of mental health beds but this will not begin until 2023-24.

The inspection found systemic issues of “at-risk patients” leaving the emergency department, an over-reliance on police assistance to manage patient behaviour and issues relating to incident reporting.

Dr Brayley announced on Thursday the intervention plan had been substantially completed.

“The OCP acknowledges the extensive work undertaken by the Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) board, executive, and staff to respond to the conditions,” Dr Brayley said.

“The intervention plan was to monitor and manage the quality and safety of care in the service.”

SA Health chief psychiatrist Dr John Brayley. Picture: Dean Martin/Newswire

Dr Brayley said the hospital had increased staff, training and improved incident reporting.

LCLHN chief executive Ngaire Buchanan said the hospital had worked closely with the OCP to address the issues.

An additional consultant psychiatrist and two registrars were recruited.

Ms Buchanan said a mental health consultation liaison and triage service for Mount Gambier Hospital had also been established to improve service to “mental health patients occupying beds in the general ward”.

“We have put in place strategies to reduce the reliance on police assistance to manage patient behaviours of concern, including increased training for key personnel and training for security firm staff,” Ms Buchanan said.

The hospital will have an increased the security presence at the ED during peak times and will post security outside the ED.

Dr Brayley was pleased to see the hospital had improved the outdoor Integrated Mental Health Inpatient Unit.

Dr Brayley said it was not linked to the onditions but it was now a more “inviting and safer space for patients”.

Two nurses left the service in August to open their own private assisted living and mental health service after finding a “massive gap”.

Overwhelming demand for mental health support has seen the centre, Serene Country Living, expand after a few months.