People in our region at risk of suicide will have improved access to appropriate, safe and timely care with the recruitment of a lead agency for SWSPHN’s Clinical Suicide Prevention Service for the first time.
Grand Pacific Health began delivering the service at the beginning of this year.
The service is designed to respond to the critical needs of people at low-to-medium risk of suicide following a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis, offering accessible and sensitive individual psychological therapy services.
It is for people who:
- Have continued suicidal ideation after discharge from acute services
- Present at a GP clinic after a suicide attempt
- Present to a GP with persistent suicidal ideation
Several service provider organisations, from sole trading clinicians to larger mental health organisations, had been funded to provide the service since its establishment.
The service has provided care across the region since July 2017, with 1,336 referrals to the service and 6,453 hours of service delivered.
Of the clients referred, 59 per cent are female, 57 per cent are people aged between 14 and 35 years and 17 per cent are clients born in countries other than Australia.
Grand Pacific Health, with its team of qualified and experienced mental health professionals, has now been commissioned as the service’s lead agency to streamline referrals, ensuring a more efficient response to the urgent needs of people at risk of suicide.
SWSPHN CEO, Dr Keith McDonald PhD, said the commissioning of Grand Pacific Health as lead agency was an opportunity to continue the good work of the service.
“This new lead agency approach to the Clinical Suicide Prevention Service will provide greater assurance that people in crisis will be seen promptly no matter where they live in South Western Sydney,” he said.
GPs can continue to refer patients to the service through SWSPHN’s Central Intake.
- If you, or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, talking about self-harm, or is noticeably in serious distress, call triple (000). Alternatively, contact the NSW Mental Health Access Line on 1800 011 511.