South Eastern NSW PHN, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) and Southern NSW Local Health District (SNSWLHD) have developed a consultation draft Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. 

According to Dianne Kitcher, CEO of South Eastern NSW PHN, this plan is intended to provide a blueprint for collaborative action on mental health service delivery over the next five years. 

“The draft plan has been prepared jointly by a working group comprising senior mental health, planning officials and people with lived experience of mental illness from across the region,” she said. 

“It focuses on the ways in which our organisations can work together with consumers, carers and other stakeholders to reduce fragmentation, address shared priorities and establish joined up systems and pathways.” 

The population of South Eastern NSW experiences high levels of psychological distress and has recorded a relatively high number of suicides compared to other NSW regions. 

“More than 102,000 people in our region may experience a mental illness in any one year, and there is an inequitable distribution of services across the region – service availability does not match population needs, particularly in rural areas,” Ms Kitcher said. 

Julie Carter, director of mental health at the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, said the draft plan has been informed by the results of recent consultation undertaken by all three organisations on other mental health initiatives and notes the gaps from the perspective and experience of consumers and carers.

“Challenges have been identified around fragmentation, lack of communication between services and the lack of timely and appropriate pathways to care across the spectrum of need and across the lifespan.

“It also notes that we need to focus more on the physical health needs of people with mental illness, and identifies the difficulties some people face with accessing the right service,” she said. 

The regional plan identifies nine priority areas against which key actions are identified that involve working together across the health system and with consumers and other stakeholders to provide better integrated care for people with mental illness. 

“Consultation on the draft plan is very important and we will be providing an opportunity for stakeholders including local consumers and carers to have their say,” Cherie Puckett, director of mental health drug and alcohol for Southern NSW Local Health District, said.

“It also notes that we need to focus more on the physical health needs of people with mental illness, and identifies the difficulties some people face with accessing the right service.” 

To view the draft plan go to www.bit.ly/regionalMHplan or submit feedback at www.surveymonkey.com/r/RegionalMHplan.