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Australas Psychiatry
; 25(3): 262-265, 2017 Jun.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28135805
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Many models of community-based mental health crisis teams have been reported. We present our experience of an outreach team made up of a paramedic and mental health nurse. METHODS: A proof-of-concept was conducted in Western Sydney. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients where the team were able to facilitate the most appropriate care. RESULTS: Nearly 70% of patients were able to be treated outside the Emergency Department, with about two-thirds being transported directly to a mental health facility. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that our model of care is successful in enabling appropriate physical and mental health care for patients suffering an acute mental health crisis.