Preparations have begun to build a new service at Bundaberg Hospital that will provide a light of hope to people experiencing mental health distress.
The Lighthouse Crisis Support Space will enable suitable mental health consumers to be fast-tracked out of the emergency department (ED) or bypass it all together, and access care both from peer workers and mental health clinicians.
Funded by the $1.6 billion Queensland Government Better Care Together five-year mental health plan, The Lighthouse Crisis Support Space will be located across the ambulance bay from the Bundaberg Hospital emergency department,
Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith said the project will deliver healthier outcomes for people who present to the hospital in mental health distress.
“By providing a specialised environment that is designed to accommodate both peer and clinical support, The Lighthouse will offer a much more appropriate place of care for people presenting in distress or crisis," Mr Smith said.
Preparations for The Lighthouse's establishment follow the successful launch of The Oasis crisis support space at Hervey Bay Hospital, which opened last year as part of a statewide trial of the new model of care.
“While ED staff do an amazing job in a high-pressure and complex environment, waiting for sometimes lengthy periods in an ED can exacerbate the distress of people experiencing a mental health crisis," Ms Bradley said.
“The Oasis Crisis Support Space at Hervey Bay has shown us this model works – it's been enormously successful in supporting mental health consumers and has attracted overwhelmingly positive feedback
“One of the key aspects of the service that sets it apart is that it’s led by peer workers – staff members who draw on their own lived experience of mental health challenges and trained to provide support and hope to people as they work towards recovery.
“By providing an alternative model of care for people experiencing mental health crisis or distress, the service has been changing and saving lives – and we’re excited to be extending it to the Bundaberg community.”
The Lighthouse construction site has been fenced off and is currently being prepared so work can get under way.