Mental health nurses riding with SA police officers is cutting emergency department visits

A nurse ride-along program for cop callouts has seen a dramatic cut in the number of people turning up to emergency – but can it fix the ramping crisis?

Mental health clinicians riding with SA Police officers to some calls is slashing the number of arrivals at hospital emergency departments in the northern suburbs.

In the first six months of a trial around 230 people avoided an ED presentation and instead received appropriate care in the community thanks to North Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) and SAPOL’s Co-Responder program.

The program - the first of its kind in South Australia - sees an experienced mental health clinician join SAPOL officers when responding to police call-outs where mental health concerns may be a factor.

Since the program launched last September almost 80 per cent of people seen during the 289 call-outs were able to remain safely in the community instead being transferred to hospital to receive care.

This in turn is helping the ramping crisis by freeing up hospital beds.

Specialised follow-up by a NALHN mental health clinician also is provided to ensure support is in place, reducing the potential of more police call-outs.

NALHN mental health nurse Hannah Joseph with SAPOL Senior Constable Patrick Desmond. Picture supplied by SA Health

The Co-Responder program is a 12-month pilot program with the team operating from the Elizabeth Police Complex, 11am to 11pm, seven days a week.

NALHN Director of Nursing, Division of Mental Health, Dianne Callahan said the results show the strength of the partnership between SAPOL and NALHN to change the outcome for people experience a mental health crisis and ensure they receive the support in the most appropriate care setting.

“We know that hospitals are not always the best place for people experiencing a mental health crisis, and the success of the Co-Responder program in its first six months shows there are other ways to help people receive the care they need without the need for a hospital visit,” she said.

SAPOL Assistant Commissioner Metro Operations, Scott Duval noted a large number of police call-outs involve people suffering from mental health issues who require mental health support of some kind.

“This integrated response between SAPOL and NALHN through the Mental Health Co-Response program is providing the opportunity to achieve the best possible outcome for the individual and the community,” he said.