Primary Mental Health Care Referrals Hit New Highs

Thursday 9 December 2021

WentWest’s Primary Mental Health Care (PMHC) team triages referrals from health professionals to ensure that vulnerable groups access timely, quality psychological support. Mental health remains a priority area in Western Sydney and is of particular concern following the impact of COVID-19 public health restrictions. In July 2021, the start of the NSW lockdown, referrals to the PMHC service hit new records, with over 1010 clients referred in Western Sydney. With the holiday period fast approaching, many patients will be looking forward to reconnecting with family and friends; however, this season can also be one of extreme stress, anxiety, and loneliness for many people.

The PMHC service (previously known as Access to Allied Psychological Services – ATAPS) is designed to support Western Sydney patients with a health care card, Mental Health Care Plan (or Suicide Prevention Referral), and GP referral. A clinical or senior psychologist triages all referrals to determine patient eligibility and connect them to an appropriate service provider. PMHC services include general psychological treatment, support for those at risk of suicide or self-harm, child and youth services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services, perinatal services, culturally and linguistically diverse services, LGBTQIA+ services, and alcohol and other drug services. Since December 2000, 2,817 health professionals have made 42,983 referrals to the PMHC service to help those in need access appropriate mental health support.

The Referral Process

PMHC Referral Form

GPs can refer eligible patients using the PMHC referral form, which must include the patient’s signed consent. Patients are eligible for five general sessions and nine sessions for suicide prevention a year. Up to 15 sessions are available in exceptional circumstances.

A Mental Health Care Plan must be submitted with the referral plan (MBS 2700, 2701, 2715 and 2717), and additional information, such as K10 or K5 scores, is helpful to ensure clients receive appropriate support.

Direct Triage Phone Line

There is a new line to connect directly with the WentWest PMHC Triage team: 0288117176

Connecting Clients to Providers

General referrals take two weeks to be processed, but suicidal referrals are processed on the same day of receipt, with patients seen within 72 hours.

An updated list of providers can be found on the WentWest website.

Holiday Update: During the holiday shutdown period (23 December to 10 January), the PMHC team will be working with a skeleton staff and priority will be given to suicide prevention referrals.

PMCH Success

“I wonder if Naomi would be with us today if she had not received treatment.”

Naomi* was just 15 years old and actively suicidal when the Triage team connected her to a psychologist. Her family was incredibly concerned about her wellbeing and her reluctance to seek help or engage with a psychologist.

With the psychologist’s gentle prompting, encouragement, and demonstration of unconditional respect for Naomi and her experiences, Naomi slowly warmed up to therapy. She became more honest about her suicidal thoughts and emotional difficulties. As a result, Naomi and her psychologist were able to work together to ensure her safety and build her capacity to understand her mental health. Rapport was key to success with this client – the ability to have weekly sessions either face-to-face or via zoom was vital to build trust and implement effective treatment. Her psychologist also took the time to work with Naomi’s family on the best ways to support Naomi and create an environment that would keep her safe.

By early 2021, Naomi indicated that her friendships were improving, and she was looking forward to school and felt motivated. She understood that her suicidal thoughts were not shameful and were a symptom of her anxiety and depression. Her relationship with her parents had improved, and the family had started playing golf together. Naomi also proudly reported that she had begun two casual jobs, an achievement that seemed impossible before she began therapy. The new jobs contributed to her feelings of success and independence. Happily, Naomi had started to smile regularly during sessions with her psychologist and reported no current suicidal plans or thoughts.

In 2020, suicide accounted for 31% of deaths among people aged 15-17 years. Timely collaboration and triage between GPs, WentWest, and psychologists ensure that clients such as Naomi receive the treatment they might not otherwise have access to and that the most vulnerable members of our community are protected.

“I honestly wonder if Naomi would be with us today if she had not received timely and appropriate treatment – if she was not protected by not only myself but people she may never know, including WentWest staff.” – Naomi’s psychologist.

*Name changed to protect the identity of this client

[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics (2020), Causes of Death, Australia, 2020 – Preliminary data