'Mental health dead zone': Emergency psychiatric services 'absent' in state's North

And the determining factor she says has been preventing her son from receiving emergency psychiatric care? His location.

Sadly, Anna's* story isn't unique.

She and her son are just one of multiple patients, families, and healthcare professionals who have been let down by Northern Tasmania's Mental Health Service.

Anna's son has a long history of mental ill health. Diagnosed over a decade ago with schizophrenia, he has struggled with managing his condition periodically throughout his life.

Anna said when her son, Tom*, was medicated, things were good.

"I actually thought we'd won the fight because he was working, functioning, accumulating assets, he had bought a car, bought a motorbike, had a girlfriend, he was just living his life," she said.

"But then he relapsed."

People with schizophrenia often lack awareness that their difficulties stem from a mental disorder that requires medical attention.

It often falls to family or friends to get them help.

"Since then, he's lost his home, he's lost his girlfriend, he's lost his job. He can't hold a mobile phone - we've given him four mobile phones since Christmas, he can't hold a key card or a wallet," Anna said.

"He's been bashed three times that I know of."

"And when I call the Crisis Assessment and Treatment Teams (CATT) to help, they say they cannot help me or Tom."

Across Australia, psychiatric nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists work together to provide emergency psychiatric care, also known as CATTs.

In 2022, the state government introduced a new initiative called Police, Ambulance, and Clinician Early Response (PACER).

Initially delivered in the South as part of a two-year trial, PACER aimed to improve access to timely, appropriate, and evidence-based mental health care in the community in place of CATT services.

Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Jeremy Rockliff said the state government plans for the service to become a state-wide model.

"Through the Tasmanian Mental Health Reform Program, there are plans for the Mental Health Emergency Response service (previously known as PACER) to progressively become a state-wide model, tailored to meet the needs of each region," Mr Rockliff said.

"The service has already been established in Southern Tasmania following a successful trial, and the next stage, a two-year trial in the North-West, commenced in November 2023."

Anna has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and she hasn't got much time left to help her son.

"I'm at my wit's end, but if I don't keep going, if I don't get him help, I'm worried that they're going to pull him out of the river or find him dead in a bush," she said.

"And that will become a coronial inquiry, which will mean diddly squat to me because I won't have a son anymore.

"It makes me feel really angry and frustrated. I get to a point where I just cry. And then I think, no, that won't fix things.

"I need to fix this before I die because I know what will happen if I don't."

Anna said when she called the CATT helpline in the past, her experience was great.

"When I lived on the North-West Coast, the team was always brilliant," she said.

"But now, even getting through to them is one thing, and then to be told they're not assessing?

"What is the line even doing there if someone is answering the phone to tell you they can't help you? Because that's what's happening now."

Anna said that during one of many calls to the helpline, a CATT phone operator told her he could not help her given her location.

"His words were, 'Northern Tasmania is a mental health dead zone'. He said our phone calls are recorded, so obviously, he can't say too much. But that's what he said," Anna said.

When asked for comment, Mr Rockliff said his office was in direct contact with the Launceston mother regarding her adult son.

"In 2022, my government established Access Mental Health, which is a free mental health support, advice, triage, and referral phone line available state-wide for the Tasmanian community," Mr Rockliff said.

"The phone line directs callers to the most appropriate contact point, including mental health teams within the community such as our CATTs, a referral and triage service for new clients, or Tasmanian Lifeline for immediate counselling support.

"CATT is fully operational, working in each region seven days per week, including Launceston."

Labor Bass MP Michelle O'Byrne said all Tasmanians were entitled to mental health services.

"I'm a huge fan of the PACER program, and the government deserves credit for initiating it," Ms O'Byrne said.

"But it needs to be offered state-wide, and it needs to be here in the North. Until such time, then the CATT needs to be appropriately resourced.

"I know they've had staffing issues, but your staffing issues should not mean nobody can respond to psychiatric emergencies."

*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality and safety.

If you or someone you know has been affected by this story, please call: