NSW Health WSLHD Safety & Quality Account 2020-21

Blacktown Mental Health B22 Keith closet. Left to right: Rosa Gamez (Social Worker), Daphne Pereira (Hospital Assistant), Sivagami Venkatesan (Reg Nurse).

SPOT-Suicide Prevention Outreach Team, Towards Zero Suicides, WSLHD Mental Health Services The Suicide Prevention Outreach Team, or SPOT, is a co- designed assertive outreach service for people experiencing suicidal distress or crisis. Limited after-hours outreach options meant that people experience suicidal distress or crisis could only access care at Emergency Departments. SPOT was co-designed with lived experience partners, community partners and health professionals to provide an alternative to Emergency Departments. The assertive (same day) service provides quality interventions and support for persons experiencing suicidal distress in the community. The service is delivered by a dual team of Peer Workers and Senior Mental Health Clinician and adapts the service to meet the needs of the consumer to keep them safe and well, and connect to existing services for ongoing care. Since establishment in 2021, the quality audit reporting system has been used to capture real time data on effectiveness of the model, to allow for real-time continuous quality improvement. WSLHD has an ongoing investment into the building of capability and capacity to deliver safe and effective care. The WSLHD mental health services social work team recognised the need to increase training and resources for new staff to support consumers experiencing suicidality. Working with social workers, the Towards Zero Suicides project team identified training needs and developed a suite of co-designed training and resources for mental health social workers. Suicide prevention training, Towards Zero Suicides, WSLHD Mental Health Services WSLHD Mental Health Services deliver care in both the community and inpatient units. During 2021-2022, the focus has been on continuing to deliver services safely during COVID-19, the opening of the new inpatient mental health facility at Blacktown Hospital and the Towards Zero Suicides program.

Mental Health Services

Towards Zero Suicides is a NSW Government initiative that seeks to reduce suicides by 20% in NSW by 2023. Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, WSLHD Mental Health Services have had a strong focus on rolling out several local initiatives co-designed with consumers and clinicians to reduce suicide in western Sydney.

Safe Haven, Towards Zero Suicides, WSLHD Mental Health Services

Safe Haven is a drop-in service providing an alternative to ED presentations for people in suicidal distress/crisis. A free service located at Redbank House at Westmead, the service was co-designed with young people with a lived experience of suicide and recovery and staffed by peer workers. The service provides opportunities for early intervention, prevention, and de-escalation for person at risk of suicide in a non-clinical setting; provided by persons with personal lived experience in line with best practice. Since opening in November 2021, to May 2022, over 121 instances of service provision have occurred. Young people who have used the service report that if Safe Haven had not been an option: 32% would not have accessed care 32% would have presented to ED 89% report that they have a better understanding of how I can find support services, websites or other resources to help me in the future

42