Private mental health services

[Joan Lipscombe <>]

Does anyone know anything about the two issues described below.

1.       I agreed at the last CMHF meeting to find out more about a private mental health facility in Hawker which was supposedly offering walk-in services for people with mental illness provided by nurse
practitioners, possibly backed by Medicare rebates     I have not yet been able to identify such a service.  There are a couple of clinical psychology practices in Hawker, but none refers to this type of services in their advertising, nor lists nurse practitioners amongst their staff.  The local GP practice does not appear to offer these services.  I will keep looking, but does anyone know anything about this service?

2.     While  searching for the above facility, I came  across the following proposed private mental health facility in Deakin, adjacent to the John James facility.  So far I have been unable to find any more up to date information about whether it is proceeding  and, if so, what stage of development is it at.. Does anyone know anything more?  

Joan LIpscombe

Proposal put forward for private mental health facility in Deakin Lachlan Roberts  14 September 2019 

An artist impression of Deakin Health Hub consulting suites and outpatient clinic. Image: Supplied

A private mental health clinic has been proposed for Deakin, to address the “pent up demand” for local private mental health services in the ACT.
Barwon Investment Partners and Healthe Care Australia have announced plans to build a private mental health facility co-located with Deakin’s Calvary John James Memorial Hospital on the corner of Strickland Crescent and Dennison Street.The $20 million facility will house up to 52 beds and will grow to up to 80 beds over the short to medium term. It will also include an adolescent unit with around 14 beds.Healthe Care Australia said The Deakin clinic, which is earmarked to open by mid-2020, will deliver in-patient, day group program and out-patient adult mental health services for high prevalence mood disorders and trauma recovery services.It will also deliver adolescent and young adult mental health intervention and treatment.

An artist impression of Deakin Clinic mental health inpatient ward. Image: Supplied.

Healthe Care Australia chief executive officer Steve Atkins said the Deakin clinic will alleviate the city’s identified need for additional mental health services and deliver Canberra’s only dedicated private mental health beds for adolescents. “As a private hospital operator of choice, Healthe Care is committed to investing in communities where there is a clear demand for private mental health services supported by local clinicians,” Mr Atkins said.
“Our local consultation with clinicians to date suggests strong support for, and demand around adolescent and young adult, general adult mental health and trauma support services.”

Mr Atkins said Canberrans are being forced to travel interstate to access similar private mental health services, with the proposed clinic aiming to “address pent up demand for local and accessible private mental health services in the ACT”.

“This facility will fast-track the delivery of critical mental health services, so the people of Canberra and beyond can access treatment close to home, with the necessary support from family and friends while they continue their recovery journey,” he said.

Healthe Care Australia and Barwon said they expect construction to commence in the coming months, despite the development application not being approved yet.An Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate spokesperson said the application is currently under assessment and the planning and land authority has not made a decision to date.