Changing Demand for Mental Health Services in the Emergency Department of a Public Hospital

Kalucy, Ross S.; Thomas, Lyndall; King, Diane

doi:10.1080/j.1440-1614.2005.01512.x

Cited by 79 publications

(83 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Along with other countries, Australia commenced de-institutionalisation of mental health patients in the mid-1990s 39. This is thought to have contributed to increased ED presentation by patients with mental health problems, with a study noting a tenfold rise in such presentations to their ED over the 10-year period to 2003 40. Other studies in Australia, the UK, New Zealand and Europe have reported a high incidence of psychiatric illness and substance abuse among repeat attendees in the last decade 41–45…”

Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic review of trends in emergency department attendances: an Australian perspective

Lowthian

Curtis

Cameron

et al. 2010

Emergency Medicine Journal

185

157

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Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic review of trends in emergency department attendances: an Australian perspective

Lowthian

Curtis

Cameron

et al. 2010

Emergency Medicine Journal

185

157

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…These examples help quantify the recurring theme that is evident in the literature that EDs have been subject to increased presentations by clients with mental illness (Broadbent et al . 2002; Kalucy et al . 2005; Stuhlmiller et al .…”

Section: The Use Of Mhts In Australiamentioning

confidence: 99%

The development and use of mental health triage scales in Australia

Broadbent

Moxham

Dwyer

2007

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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In Australian emergency departments, the triage of people with physical illness and injury is well developed and supported by the Australasian Triage Scale. The Australasian Triage Scale contains brief descriptors of mental illness and it is unknown if these provide the same reliability in triage decision-making for emergency triage nurses assessing people with a mental illness. Specialist mental health triage scales have been developed to cater for this deficit and to aid emergency staff who have lacked training in the assessment and management of people with a mental illness. A review of the development of mental health triage scales and their use in Australia identifies that using a mental health triage scale improves the competence and confidence of emergency department staff in triaging people with mental illness. Despite this, there is no consistent national approach to the emergency triage of people with a mental illness. There is ad hoc use of mental health triage scales and there are few reports of improvements in service provision to this client group as a result of the use of a mental health triage scale. These findings suggest that despite the intentions of the National Mental Health Strategy, a lack of equity remains in emergency departments in the provision of care to people with a mental illness who make up one in five of adult Australians. Consideration should be given to the introduction of a national approach to the use of a mental health triage scale in Australian emergency departments.

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“…Due to difficulties with timely access and other systemic challenges, this is not always attained. Patients experiencing acute mental health problems often present at emergency departments (ED) of general hospitals or are told to go there by their family physicians (Kalucy et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%