After-hours community mental health service launched

The Southern Health and Social Services Board (SHSSB) have launched an "out-of-hours mental health crisis service", following a funding boost from the Executive of £700,000 over the next three years.

The aim of the service is to provide a community-based response to people experiencing a mental health crisis outside normal working hours. This provides an alternative to hospital admission and helps to ensure a more appropriate use of acute inpatient beds.

The SHSSB initiative will fund two senior psychiatric nurses to provide a rapid response to referrals from GP’s across the Board’s area. Patients can be seen in their own home, at the GP out-of-hours base or at a local minor injuries unit.

The scale of the problem is enormous and health surveys indicate that one-in-six people will suffer from a medically defined mental illness during their lifetime. As a result, the promotion of mental health is one of the seven objectives of the executive’s 'Investing For Health' strategy.

Speaking at the launch of the service, First Minister David Trimble said: “This new after-hours scheme will ease the pressure on inpatient facilities as it should result in a reduction in the number of admissions to hospital. It is significant that the scheme was developed by Armagh Primary Care Commissioning Pilot and that the new service is primary care driven.”

Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan added: “The SHSSB has been innovative in identifying this need and seeking the resources to make it happen. The new after-hour's arrangements will provide great help and support to patients, many of whom can be seen in their own home."

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