The State Government must guarantee and reinforce emergency mental health crisis support according to the Nationals spokesperson for health Martin Aldridge.
‘For almost twenty years the State Government has delivered an emergency response line to support patients and families in mental health crisis.
‘It is unacceptable and places lives at risk when twice in two months that service was unavailable’, Mr Aldridge said.
The Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL) and the regional equivalent Rurallink provides service 24/7 in Perth and Peel and an after-hours service in regional WA.
‘We know that one in five people in any given year will experience a mental illness and almost one in two Australians in their lifetime.
‘Our health and mental health system is complex and not easy for people to navigate, especially when in crisis’, Mr Aldridge said.
MHERL receives over 27,000 calls per annum or an average of 70 calls per day providing services including assessment, support, intervention and system navigation.
‘In regional and remote areas of Western Australia access to mental health services are sporadic and inconsistent.
‘The services that MHERL and Rurallink provide are essential to patients, families and also health service providers most of which do not operate a 24/7 service.
‘It is unacceptable that on two occasions callers were met with an answering machine directing them to call 000’, Mr Aldridge said.
More than sixty Australians die every week by suicide with suicide among Aboriginal and rural populations twice as prevalent.
‘We lose twice as many Australians to suicide each year than we lose on our roads.
‘MHERL and Rurallink provide an essential service connecting people with services and avoiding unnecessary presentations to emergency departments or emergency service response.
This mental health service failure follows the closure or disruption of maternity services and the removal of 24/7 accident and emergency access at several country hospitals under this Labor State Government.