Our goals in focus – Brisbane North PHN's Year in Review 2023-24 is now live
Nov 05, 2024
Hub model of mental healthcare delivering integration and improved outcomes
Aug 09, 2024
During his recent visit to our region, Brisbane North PHN were pleased to accompany the Minister for Health and Aged Care the Hon. Mark Butler MP to tour one of three PHN-commissioned Integrated Mental Health Hubs operated by Neami National at Strathpine.
Pictured (L to R): James Bell, Director Safety and Homelessness | Neami, Minister the Hon. Mark Butler MP and Brisbane North PHN CEO Libby Dunstan.
Opened in 2019, the three hubs combines clinical and non-clinical services in one location and facilitate access to tailored packages of care for people with severe and complex mental illness.
On average, 680 individual participants receive services from the hubs each year.
Minister Butler's visit on 1 August followed Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, the Hon. Emma McBride MP's visit to the Caboolture Integrated Mental Health Hub operated by Stride in July to officially announce the locations of four Medicare Mental Health Centre locations across the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region.
The providers currently delivering the Mental Health Hubs in Caboolture, Strathpine and Inner North Brisbane will apply to transition to Medicare Mental Health Centres via an EOI process. The provider for the Redcliffe site will be selected through a competitive open tender process, following community and stakeholder co-design.
Key findings from an independent evaluation in 2022 of the hub model found:
- people with severe and complex mental illness accessing the hubs reported positive experiences and improved recovery outcomes
- integration of clinical and non-clinical support contributed to improved experience and participants consistently reported that the model's psychosocial support component facilitates care that is integrated and highly valued by service users
- on average, one in 10 people accessing support through the hubs identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 13 per cent of people were experiencing homelessness, and
- 7 per cent of service users identified as LGBTIQ+.
Minister Butler was also pleased to visit Neami National's co-located Safe Space, another PHN-commissioned mental health service which provides an accessible, community-based model of care for vulnerable people experiencing emotional distress or crisis.
