WA Country Health Service refutes claims about psychiatric liaison nurse pledge as presentations grow

Health chiefs have confirmed Margaret River Hospital is facing increasing pressure from walk-ins, but told the Times they were not aware of any promises to bring a psychiatric liaison nurse to the region despite the local government claiming they had. Fears voiced by Shire of Augusta-Margaret River councillors at their last general meeting included a call for the WA Country Health Service to provide a specialist psychiatric liaison nurse to deal with an increased mental health workload. Deputy shire president Tracey Muir said feedback to the local government from frontline health workers cited stress at the ever-increasing numbers of people seeking help at the hospital. Cr Muir said the council understood WACHS promised the psychiatric liaison nurse more than 12 months ago and nothing had happened, adding to significant burdens on staff as well as police. “There are no positions that have been created or advertised in a move to provide this service as all mental health funding is being centred in Bunbury,” Cr Muir said. “This is placing significant burdens on local police and associated services.” WA Council of Social Services deputy chief executive Rachel Siewert shared similar feedback after a consultation session held in Margaret River last month identified the hospital as one of the sites of greatest concern for under-resourcing. The situation was considered unsustainable, leading to the call for the specialist position. However, a WACHS spokesperson said health chiefs were not aware of any undertaking to provide additional mental health positions at the hospital. “We’d welcome the opportunity to meet with the local government authority to discuss any feedback – including the potential to appoint a psychiatric liaison nurse at the facility,” the spokesperson said. WACHS confirmed a 15 per cent increase in non-urgent presentations in the latest figures. But that came with a 4 per cent decrease in urgent cases and no significant increase in people showing up needing mental health support, according to a spokesperson. “Mental health-related presentations at the facility also remained steady with an increase of approximately 25 presentations when compared to the previous year,” the spokesperson said. “This is something our statistical experts consider within normal activity levels. “Patients presenting to the facility have 24/7 access to acute mental health support through skilled on-the-ground clinicians with training in mental health as well as the Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service.” WACHS also employed Community Mental Health Teams across the South West operating outside of the hospital. WACHS said residents could self-refer for support and the hospital had the “capacity to flex up and down to meet any increase in demand”.