Healthcare comes in all shapes and sizes, especially when it comes to getting the care you need from a hospital.
In many cases a stay in a hospital is necessary to get you on the right path to recovery.
Now thanks to an innovative Gold Coast program, having the ability to get that care in the comform of your own home is paying dividends.
After a successful trial in the Wide Bay region, Hospital in The Home is now available on the Gold Coast for consumers who go through the hospital system with mental health issues, and the response from families and consumers has been nothing but positive.
Lisa Keulder is the Deputy Medical Director of Acute Inpatient Mental Health Services on the Gold Coast, and has been involved in expanding the Hospital in The Home program across one of the fastest growing areas in the state.
“The Hospital in The Home program is something that we’ve been talking here at the Gold Coast Health,” Lisa said.
“We have a multi-disciplinary team that works to maintain consumers’ care every day. There can be changes in the mental health of patients, and the team manages those along with the added stresses that come from suffering from an acute mental illness.”
Coming as part of the Better Care Together plan from 2022-2027, it gives healthcare providers funding so they can put a bigger emphasis on mental health care than ever before, and that investment is making a difference already in the lives of Queenslanders who are putting up their hands and asking for help.
The planning for this was well over two years, and now we’ve put together a workforce and it is now offered as a service on the coast.
“Mental illness can manifest itself in many ways. People may have mood disorders such as depression, psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia, trauma-related conditions…there are many conditions that we can help with that include support in their home.
“Our biggest group remains those people who have been admitted to hospital, and that number has increased dramatically in the last few years. When you add the factors of a growing population in this area (and across the state) it’s a service that is in big demand and will continue to be for the future.”
Previously there had been a trial of the HiTH service in the Wide Bay region, and the Gold Coast team visited the region to prepare for the Gold Coast service’s introduction (and) so they could construct their own service model.
“Currently, we have eight ‘virtual’ beds (patients at home), and we try to spread our service across the whole Gold Coast area, which is geographically large,” Lisa said.
“The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive so we are hoping that we can continue to expand the service. Thinking outside the square is important when you consider all the pressures facing the health system, and this is a field where empathy and compassion are key to consumers’ recovery. Face to face meetings and virtual contact both go a long way to meet the needs of our consumers.”
Lisa takes great pride in her work and enjoys making a difference in the lives of Queenslanders.
“I love the people I work with, and also experiencing positive outcomes,” Lisa added.
“Seeing someone who is going through a difficult time come through that, learning to cope and again becoming a valued member of society…this experiencing is so humbling, especially when they share their stories with us.
“For people to trust us like that, to allow us to help them in this way….it’s wonderful.”
Find out more about Mental Health Services on the Gold Coast here: www.goldcoast.health.qld.gov.au/our-services/mental-health
*No matter where you live, if you need assistance, call 1300 MH CALL (1300 64 22 55).
*Need help now? In an emergency, call 000.