Health Minister Cameron Dick. Photo: Chris Hyde
A mother who has witnessed five suicides in her family has had her first wish granted by Health Minister Cameron Dick.
All Queensland hospital emergency department staff will now get specific training in identifying people with mental health problems.
Kerrie Keepa’s son, Chris, took his own life on September 14, 2014 after being turned away from Redland Hospital just weeks earlier.
Kerrie Keepa, whose son Chris took his own life, is campaigning to improve mental health care. Photo: Supplied
Chris Keepa was the fifth member of Kerrie’s family to suicide and the trigger to form SOS Fast, which stands for Survivors of Suicide Fighting Against Suicide Toll.
Kerrie Keepa met with Cameron Dick on May 1 to call for major changes to Australia’s mental health care system.
Her first request was that Queensland’s hospital emergency department staff received more detailed mental health awareness training.
Mr Dick has on Wednesday told state parliament that training would begin immediately.
“The Government will commence work immediately on a new package of suicide prevention training for Emergency Department staff,” Mr Dick said.
“While existing programs are available, they are targeted to mental health clinicians and require full or half-day attendance, which make them difficult to access for ED staff who work variable shifts.”
Mr Dick said the new training package was more specific.
“It will be shorter, but highly-focused specifically to emergency department staff,” he said.
“It will be delivered more flexibly and will use a ‘train-the-trainer’ model, meaning training will happen across the state.”
Kerrie Keepa, who works in a nursing home, said she was delighted at the outcome and immediately pledged to have similar mental health training in place in all states and territories around Australia.
“This is fantastic. It is not the be-all and end-all, but it is step in the right direction and I’m rapt, I’m really rapt.”
She said she was now determined to push ahead with a new change.org petition urging the other states and territories to introduce similar training.
“I really want to push that because this is not just a Queensland thing, it is Australia-wide,” she said.
“Everywhere needs this.
“We are just losing so many people unnecessarily.
“So, if we can get this implemented in all states and territories that would just be fantastic.”
Mental Health advocate Professor John Mendoza backed Ms Keepa’s personal belief for better mental health training for emergency department staff in an opinion piece for Fairfax Media.
The cost of the new training is $380,000 which will come from within hospital budgets, Mr Dick said.
He said other changes would be part of suggested changes to the new Mental Health Bill, which is out for public comment.
Mr Dick asked people to be realistic about the impact of the changes he announced on Wednesday.
“We can’t solve suicide with Emergency Departments or legislation,” he said.
“We can’t solve suicide with hospitals and medicine.
“Suicide is not simply a sickness in people’s minds. It’s a sickness in our society.
“To fix the sickness in our society, we need a response from all of our society.”
Queensland Health will update its Guidelines for Suicide Risk Assessment for hospital emergency departments.
The Queensland MIND (Mental Illness Nursing Documents) Essentials resource for nurses will also be updated to strengthen the section that provides advice on how to care for a person who is suicidal.
Support is available for anyone who may be distressed by calling Lifeline 131 114, Mensline 1300 789 978, Kids Helpline 1800 551 800