Mental Health Community of Practice
Welcome to the Mental Health Community of Practice.
According to data from the First Insights from the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020- 21, 3.4 million Australians saw a health professional for their mental health, and only 13% of Australians saw a GP for their mental health.
General Practice can be a place for patients to seek help for mental ill-health. All members of general practice staff are in a position to support patients through difficult times.
This group is designed for primary care professionals to ask questions through the forum, read news articles or research that may be of interest, brainstorm ideas, and learn from each other, not to share personal stories of recovery or illness.
For a list of help-seeking support numbers, visit the Important links tab.
Welcome to the Mental Health Community of Practice.
According to data from the First Insights from the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020- 21, 3.4 million Australians saw a health professional for their mental health, and only 13% of Australians saw a GP for their mental health.
General Practice can be a place for patients to seek help for mental ill-health. All members of general practice staff are in a position to support patients through difficult times.
This group is designed for primary care professionals to ask questions through the forum, read news articles or research that may be of interest, brainstorm ideas, and learn from each other, not to share personal stories of recovery or illness.
For a list of help-seeking support numbers, visit the Important links tab.
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Bipolar or Personality Disorder, clinical conundrum? - 21st November - Terrigal
Share Bipolar or Personality Disorder, clinical conundrum? - 21st November - Terrigal on Facebook Share Bipolar or Personality Disorder, clinical conundrum? - 21st November - Terrigal on Twitter Share Bipolar or Personality Disorder, clinical conundrum? - 21st November - Terrigal on Linkedin Email Bipolar or Personality Disorder, clinical conundrum? - 21st November - Terrigal linkThe diagnosis of borderline personality disorder may overlap with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder especially in the early stages of a bipolar illness where the cyclical pattern of mood change is not yet clear. Differentiation between the two is important to get the correct treatment.
Learning Outcomes:
• Differentiate the diagnostic criteria between borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder
• Recognise the overlap between the conditions and when BPD diagnosis becomes a bipolar disorder
• Know the broad treatment approaches to both conditions especially when there is an overlap
This education event is being hosted at Crowne Plaza, Terrigal.
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SafeSide Hosted InPlace Workshop - 4th November
Share SafeSide Hosted InPlace Workshop - 4th November on Facebook Share SafeSide Hosted InPlace Workshop - 4th November on Twitter Share SafeSide Hosted InPlace Workshop - 4th November on Linkedin Email SafeSide Hosted InPlace Workshop - 4th November linkSafeSide Prevention is delivering workforce training to Primary Care and Allied Health practices and professionals across Hunter, New England, and Central Coast in a hopeful, recovery-oriented approach to preventing suicide.
The opportunity is to join other primary care or allied health professionals in a three-hour, guided InPlace workshop, taking the self-paced and team sessions out of the equation. This is not an information session, but a guided workshop, with the aim to upskill individual primary care providers.
Click here to register for the event.
For questions regarding bookings, please email education@thephn.com.au
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Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander People - Mental Health
Share Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander People - Mental Health on Facebook Share Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander People - Mental Health on Twitter Share Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander People - Mental Health on Linkedin Email Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander People - Mental Health linkThe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre elevates the voices of First Nations people and shares their stories to co-design, inform, and deliver culturally safe mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.
The Black Dog Institute has created social and emotional wellbeing resources for First Nations people.
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Mental health care plans
Share Mental health care plans on Facebook Share Mental health care plans on Twitter Share Mental health care plans on Linkedin Email Mental health care plans linkThe General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration provides RTF templates and guides on how to complete GP Mental Health Treatment Plants.
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Rural Mental Health - The Peregrine Portal
Share Rural Mental Health - The Peregrine Portal on Facebook Share Rural Mental Health - The Peregrine Portal on Twitter Share Rural Mental Health - The Peregrine Portal on Linkedin Email Rural Mental Health - The Peregrine Portal linkThe Peregrine Portal has been created as part of the joint partnership between The Peregrine Centre and NSW Health, in conjunction with the Rural Mental Health Partnership Grant.
Within the portal, The Peregrine Centre has curated a collection of learning materials across areas important to mental health practice.
Access to this portal is free for anyone who works in the mental health field. Resources will be continually updated, with the content being informed through feedback from practitioners on the ground across New South Wales.
Click here to Sign Up and access the free resources
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Education event - SafeSide Prevention
Share Education event - SafeSide Prevention on Facebook Share Education event - SafeSide Prevention on Twitter Share Education event - SafeSide Prevention on Linkedin Email Education event - SafeSide Prevention linkSafeSide Prevention is delivering workforce training to Primary Care and Allied Health practices and professionals across Hunter, New England, and Central Coast in a hopeful, recovery-oriented approach to preventing suicide.
Completing the workshop will give you a framework for responding to suicide concerns within the time and resource constraints of the primary care setting.
Whether it is your whole practice workforce, or just a single team member, the workshop opportunity is to get you involved in SafeSide and have access to a subscription that provides year-round access to video-based training and interaction with experts and colleagues around the world.
For more information and to register visit; SafeSide - Suicide Prevention Workforce Training - Primary Health Network
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Towards Zero Suicides - Safe Havens
Share Towards Zero Suicides - Safe Havens on Facebook Share Towards Zero Suicides - Safe Havens on Twitter Share Towards Zero Suicides - Safe Havens on Linkedin Email Towards Zero Suicides - Safe Havens linkThe Safe Haven initiative provides a calm, culturally sensitive and non-clinical alternative to hospital emergency departments, for people experiencing distress or suicidal thoughts. Safe Havens are staffed by peer-support workers and other mental health professionals.
Safe Havens aim to:
- provide immediate, personalised, and compassionate care
- connect people to support services to address the underlying factors in their distress
- reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments
- reduce self-harm, suicide attempts and deaths by suicide.
There are three Safe Havens in the Hunter New England Central Coast PHN catchment:
Newcastle Safe Haven - 22 Stewart Avenue, Hamilton East NSW 2303
Open 4pm-9pm Friday to Sunday
Gosford Safe Haven - 89 Holden Street, Gosford NSW 2505 (Currently telehealth only)
Open 12:30pm-4pm Tuesday and Thursday
Tamworth Safe Haven - 214 Bridge St, West Tamworth NSW 2340
Open 4pm-9pm Friday to Sunday
To learn more about the Safe Haven initiative, please click here.
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New service - Rural Health Connect
Share New service - Rural Health Connect on Facebook Share New service - Rural Health Connect on Twitter Share New service - Rural Health Connect on Linkedin Email New service - Rural Health Connect linkThe PHN is pleased to promote Rural Health Connect. Rural Health Connect is an online platform that links people to psychologists over video calls and phone calls. Rural Australians deal with drought, bushfire, floods and isolation on top of all of life’s other pressures yet access psychologists at less than a fifth of the rate of people in cities. The lack of professionals in rural areas, long drives to appointments, lack of privacy in small towns and stigma are all deterrents to seeking help. We want everyone, regardless of where they live or their life circumstances, to be able to access the psychologist that is right for them. And to be able to conduct their sessions without disrupting their daily lives.
Rural Health Connect has:
- more than 120 psychologists registered
- a broad range of clinical expertise and varying interest areas, including many that are difficult to find
- bulk billing and reduced fee concessions available for anyone who needs them
- no current wait lists
To find out more and how to refer, please visit the Rural Health Connect website.
Please note this is not available for people living in the Newcastle LGA.
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General Practice - Member Assistance Program
Share General Practice - Member Assistance Program on Facebook Share General Practice - Member Assistance Program on Twitter Share General Practice - Member Assistance Program on Linkedin Email General Practice - Member Assistance Program linkThe PHN is pleased to provide access to its Member Assistance Program (MAP) for employees of General Practices and Allied Health Practices working and residing in the Hunter, New England and Central Coast regions.
Employees can access three (3) free, voluntary, confidential counselling sessions. Telehealth sessions are available.
The program is able to assist when personal, family or work related concerns are impacting on the health or quality of life. It can also provide guidance if it is needed on professional or personal goals.
To ensure personalised service, contact the dedicated MAP number of 1800 931 711 and advise them what practice/business you belong to and that you are accessing the HNECC PHN account.
Confidentiality is assured and your name and practice will not be disclosed to the PHN or your General Practice/Business. More information on the program is available by downloading the MAP brochure.
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New PHN funded Mental Health Services
Share New PHN funded Mental Health Services on Facebook Share New PHN funded Mental Health Services on Twitter Share New PHN funded Mental Health Services on Linkedin Email New PHN funded Mental Health Services linkThe PHN has recently commissioned new Mental Health Services for young people in our region.
Bereavement Services for Children
National Centre for Childhood Grief (NCCG)
Provide free telehealth counselling services for Children under 18 across the HNECC region who are experiencing bereavement or grief/loss.
Primary Mental Health Services for Children
HNECC PHN have funded a pilot program providing mental health supports for children under 12 years of age. Children are eligible for a maximum of 12 free sessions in a calendar year with a trained and skilled Psychologist or Mental Health Practitioner.
The program is primarily aimed at providing access to those children who may otherwise not be able to access support due to financial hardship.
Little Sparks (Beam Health)
Provide face to face and telehealth services across Northern Central Coast (previous Wyong LGA), Greater Newcastle (inc. Lake Macquarie & Port Stephens) Lower Hunter Valley and Upper Hunter Valley. Please contact
Wellbeing4Kids (Uniting)
Provide face to face and telehealth services across the Central Coast (previous Gosford LGA), Mid Coast, Mehi, Peel, Tablelands.
For more information please contact your Primary Care Improvement Officer.
Who's Listening
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Email hbeamish@thephn.com.au
Important Links
- Help-seeking numbers and links
- Mind Health Service
- Hunter, New England and Central Coast PHN – Mental Health services
- Hunter, New England and Central Coast PHN - Youth Mental Health services
- Embrace – Multicultural Mental Health
- National Mental Health Commission
- Everymind – Life in Mind and Mindframe programs
Key Dates
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08 September 2022
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10 September 2022
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01 October 2022
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01 October 2022
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10 October 2022
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07 November 2022