THE Western NSW Local Health District will focus on improving and collating mental health services in Orange for the entire district, following the release of the Western NSW Health Needs Assessment 2013 .
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Based in Orange, Western NSW LHD director of mental health drug and alcohol services Dr Russell Roberts said the group was consolidating and improving the services in Orange to create a support hub.
The hub will be the primary focus for mental health care, however the group will also work on improving local community services.
The health assessment showed the majority of people who were treated for mental illness in public hospitals in 2011/12 were treated in local facilities, however a significant number of patients were sent to Orange and outside the health district.
Dr Roberts said services like the Mental Health Recovery Outreach Service and the Mental Health Emergency Care Rural Access Program based in Orange would continue to enable more patients to be cared for in local facilities.
He said the services allowed specialists to provide health consultations, supervision and support over telehealth video conferencing, as well as emergency mental health assessment services to community facilities.
“The services are working very well; they’re allowing more people to be cared for in their local community, as local facilities have the support of the mental health hub in Orange.”
Dr Roberts said new mental health services were also being added throughout the region.
“Next month we are to commission a new youth mental health service for 15-25 year olds and a service for mums and bubs, both of which will be based in Orange,” he said.
“It is an exciting development for mental health in the region, as these are two very vulnerable groups, which are served best by early intervention.”
The findings from the health needs assessment will go into the formation of a strategic health services plan to provide the framework and direction for Western NSW LHD operations during the next three years.
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