Clinic opens door to mental health help
The CEO of a new mental health facility in Hobart says there’s increasing pressure on psychologists and psychiatrists in Tasmania, something he hopes his clinic will be able to help with.
New clinic Clarity Healthcare opened on Friday and has half a dozen mental health professionals working out of its Battery Point site.
“We’re a full multidisciplinary care team, we’ve got psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, mental health nurses,” CEO Davis Lemke said.
“This will be a valuable support for the community so we provide hospital-level care in the community.”
Mr Lemke hopes the clinic can offer some relief in light of the St Helen’s Private Hospital’s impending closure in June.
“There’s pressure on psychologists and psychiatrists in terms of the numbers in Tasmania,” Mr Lemke said.
“Bringing both the face-toface services and the group services we’ll deliver here will be significantly beneficial … we’re boosting the workforce and the ability to access care.
“We’ll see over 350 (annually) of those more complex clients that would ordinarily be in hospital.
“We’re also opening our books to private patients and GPs can refer to us as well.”
He said the service would provide the equivalent of 10 virtual beds, through its Mind Care Choices program, which aims to decrease how long patients stay in hospital for mental health care.
As part of the program, patients undergo up to 30 sessions with a psychologist, occupational therapist, social worker, or other professionals.
“We are giving mental health patients the support they need as Tasmania grapples with a severe shortage of mental health hospital beds and access to outpatient care services,” chief medical officer Matthew Warden said.
The program is run in partnership with Bupa health insurance.
Premier and Mental Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff welcomed the announcement of the clinic’s opening.
“Clarity Healthcare and its Mind Care Choices program is a timely addition to healthcare in Tasmania, delivering hospital-level mental health care in community settings,” Mr Rockliff said.
There’s pressure on psychologists and psychiatrists in terms of the numbers in Tasmania
Davis Lemke Clarity Healthcare CEO