Extra support for people with severe mental illnesses

Patients with severe mental illnesses will receive extra support each year from specialist mental health nurses as a result of the launch of a $191 million, five-year Australian Government program.

From July 2007, the Australian Government will support specialist mental health nurses to collaborate with psychiatrists and GPs in the treatment of patients with severe mental disorders.

At any one time, there are some 500,000 Australians living with a severe mental disorder. This initiative will improve the lives of many of these individuals by providing effective, coordinated clinical care, and result in a significant boost to services for people with mental illnesses.

The Government’s initiative may also prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, due to having specialist nurses available to provide and coordinate clinical care.

It will also take pressure off privately-practising psychiatrists and GPs, allowing them to spend time on more complex care.

Mental health nurses would work with doctors to provide services such as periodic reviews of patients’ mental states, medication monitoring, and information for patients on their physical health care.

Patients will also benefit from these new kinds of services in more convenient locations – such as clinics, or the patients’ own homes – at little or no cost to patients.