Queensland’s local health officials are sounding the alarm on the treatment of mental health patients. They point out the failures of Emergency Departments (EDs) to provide long-term continuity of care for these patients. Lisa Blackler, who runs one such path-breaking service, said the hospital realised that emergency departments were not suitable for patients needing mental health treatment. She emphasized that they are working to decrease how long patients remain in these treatment centers.
Rockhampton Hospital, the major referral hospital for a population of more than 200,000 in central and central-west Queensland, now has only 23 mental health beds. The demand for services is rising. Dr. Gaston Boulanger with the Appropriate Level of Care campaign on the steps of Gladstone Hospital, Gladstone, February 2023. Chief Robins hopes to solve the hospital’s most urgent needs with this creative effort. He shared his concern that a majority of patients requiring emergency treatment are too sick. They are not getting the proper level of care at the temporary mental health unit.
Staffing and Patient Care Challenges
Recent results from a survey conducted in June shed light on some deeply concerning and disappointing responses from nurses working at Rockhampton and Gladstone hospitals. They voiced their concerns about being pressured to falsify data about patient wait times and quality of care. In 2015, these same nurses sounded the alarm when they noticed an uptick in the routine use of sedation to control the growing number of mental health patients.
Moreover, 80% of survey respondents stated that all forms of chemical restraint, including medical sedation, have increased on patients. This increasing use of sedation threatens the mental health and quality of life of those it impacts.
“Almost 100 per cent [of respondents] say patients are waiting more than 12 hours in ED frequently to daily, with mental health patients sometimes waiting up to seven days or more for admission, often sedated in non-designated areas.”
The growing disaster has led to desperate cries for a better physical infrastructure to protect communities from frequent floods. In fact, Dr. Boulanger noted, his patient needed to remain at Gladstone Hospital for multiple days. During the transfer, the patient was given sedation with anti-psychotic medications prior to being moved to Rockhampton Hospital. He noted,
The Need for Infrastructure Expansion
Additionally, he encouraged adding more psychiatric beds in the area with strong emphasis. This change would enable the federal government to more easily recruit qualified psychiatrists and improve patient outcomes. Blackler reassured that although Rockhampton’s ICU is very well staffed, they remain on constant alert and a watch for surge capacity.
“That’s very frightening, very, very troubling for a patient like that. It’s not good for their ongoing mental health.”
Rockhampton’s mental health unit is in the process of implementing changes to address its failings. A $92 million expansion, currently under construction, will increase the hospital’s bed capacity from 23 to 32 by 2026. Blackler said they had used alternative areas in both Rockhampton and Gladstone hospitals to expand ED beds in the short term.
The nursing staff have repeatedly raised alarming concerns about their work environment. This was about how they all felt morally compromised based on the pressures they have to cut people in this current system. Thomas touched upon the burnout and stress that nurses are feeling.
Addressing Ethical Concerns in Patient Care
Additionally, she warned about the alternative outcomes if these gaps continue to go unchecked.
“[The nurses] they’re risking their registrations, they’re saying they have moral injury, they’re super burnt out and stressed.”
Blackler accepted these concerns but dug in on her pledge to transmit data correctly. She stated,
“Someone is going to die, potentially, and this needs to be actioned.”
This urgent call for improvements in mental health services is being made by both community leaders and healthcare professionals. Addressing mental health care is one of the eight key priorities facing Queensland. Now is the time for stakeholders to act to ensure patients have access to the life-saving care they deserve.
“I am concerned that allegations have been made that ED data has been misrepresented, and I certainly do not endorse incorrect reporting of data in any instance.”
The call for improvements in mental health services is echoed by community leaders and healthcare professionals alike. As mental health care continues to be a pressing issue in Queensland, stakeholders are urged to take action to ensure that patients receive the appropriate level of care they desperately need.
