Country SA PHN Newsletter July 2025
A warm welcome to the Country SA PHN newsletter’s July edition. As the year races on and with winter solstice now behind us it is hard for many of us to believe that the year is closer to the end than the beginning. As adults I’m sure we can all remember how long the school day could feel and how it seemed like your birthday and Christmas were forever away. It seems the more we fill our days with paid work, caring for others, looking after ourselves and constantly being in touch/dialled in/contactable and online that life can feel like it’s on permanent over drive.
Our collective mental health suffers with this overwhelming flood of information and stimulation and the ever increasing ‘to do’ lists. This is without the weight of current international affairs that deeply affect many of us. As a country GP, I am cognizant of the matters that affect us closer to home.
Country South Australians are facing drought. It doesn’t grab public attention like a fast-moving natural disaster. The images aren’t as instantly dramatic. The outcome though is no less devastating. Through this time of uncertainty and additional financial and emotional stress I urge everyone to reach out for a conversation with loved ones and professionals.
Nearly half (43 per cent) of the approximately 525,000 people who live country South Australia will experience a mental health concern at some stage in their lifetime. This Country SA PHN region is also facing the needs of an ageing population, chronic comorbidities and population growth.
We acknowledge that there is variability in service delivery particularly the more regional and remote that you live. The longer the delay in seeking treatment the more mental health issues can impact on the individual and their loved ones. We also acknowledge that navigating the mental health system can be challenging and complex.
In the last three months Country SA PHN has continued to work on key activities designed to enhance people’s experience of mental health services and get them to the right service quickly.
Joint Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan 2026-29
Country SA PHN and the Department for Health and Wellbeing (SA Health) are collaborating to develop a Joint Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan 2026 – 2029 (Joint Regional Plan) for country South Australia. It will inform Country SA PHN’s and SA Health’s future service planning and help shape the future services we provide in country South Australia.
Country SA PHN and the Department for Health and Wellbeing launched ‘Working together for the mental health of country South Australia’ – a conversation to develop the three-year Plan to ensure country South Australians have access to the best possible care, now and into the future.
The Joint Regional Plan is part of the State and Federal Governments shared vision to build a mental health system that understands and responds to the priority health needs of local communities. The Plan will be informed by people with a lived experience of mental illness, their families and carers, along with service providers and the broader community who have made their contribution through a survey on the YourSAy SA Health portal. The Joint Regional Plan should identify ways to effectively plan for how services should be developed, to meet gaps and find new ways of working to improve mental health and social and emotional wellbeing outcomes for people in our communities.
The plan will be completed by early 2026 and will be published on the Country SA PHN website.
Medicare Mental Health Phone Service
The Medicare Mental Health phone service is a centralised phone service for concise information and mental health advice. It offers a range of entry points to engagement, assessment and short to medium term treatment for people with a range of mental health needs through their preferred platform. Anyone can call Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (except public holidays) to seek advice, information assessment and referral to local mental health services. Carers, friends and family can also call for support. It is a free service available by calling 1800 595 212.
Medicare Mental Health offers people clear and simple pathways to care, more control and choice, timely access, coordinated care, confidence in being referred to the right service, more clarity for carers and family members, greater understanding of complementary services such as alcohol and other drug services, maintained support while waiting for services and a holistic approach to care. We are delighted with the feedback the phone service has received from consumers to date:
“The team at Medicare Mental Health are amazing, making me feel supported and heard. Will was especially amazing, as he made me feel like I was not alone in my experiences and understood what I needed”
“It was great. Best experience I have had compared to other services.”
“The man who rang me, , was so understanding. He took the time to listen to me, and had a calm and comfortable voice”
Medicare Mental Health makes it easier for GPs and other health professionals to support the mental health of their patients. Medicare Mental Health is now the central intake and referral pathways for all referrals to primary mental health care programs. This is improving timeliness of access, and connection to mental health services and service navigation matched to individual need. This offers GPs enhanced, accurate information on service availability and eligibility, advice and service options for consumers, specialised clinical assessment and referral pathways, knowledge of local services tailored to meet local need, follow up support and safety plans as required.
Service providers using the Medicare Mental Health phone service benefit from waitlist and demand management, connecting people to the right services, a central contact point for advice, local service navigation and integration and providing holistic needs assessment. The accolades from service providers are also reassuring:
“This is absolutely amazing and so appreciated, thank you so much! Our chat was so helpful the other day. It’s so handy to have such helpful people to chat with being new to the field. Thanks again and chat soon, hopefully!” 1
1 Feedback received from a country South Australian commissioned service provider who engaged with the Medicare Mental Health phone service eating disorder service navigator.
Medicare Mental Health Centres
Medicare Mental Health Centres provide a welcoming place where everyone can access free immediate, short and medium-term care and confidential mental health information, services, and supports. They aim to make it easier for people to access equitable, free, and quality mental health support closer to home. Medicare Mental Health Centres offer immediate support from mental health professionals and peer support workers that have lived experience of mental health with no appointment or referral needed.
Country South Australia has three Medicare Mental Health Centres in Mount Gambier, Port Pirie, and Mount Barker which is jointly funded with SA Health and offers enhanced capabilities and service access for people aged 16 plus.
headspace
headspace provides youth mental health and well-being support to assist young people aged 12 to 25 navigate life’s challenges.
headspace offers mental health online support, work and study support, a space to explore mental health topics and headspace centres. Country SA PHN commissions headspace centres in the following locations: Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Berri, Mount Gambier, Port Augusta, Victor Harbor, Murray Bridge and Mount Barker.
Country SA PHN is pleased that a new headspace centre in Gawler is expected to be open by the end of 2025 – bringing the total number of headspace centres in the Country South Australian region to nine.
Port Lincoln headspace is now located at a new and improved site at 2/7 Mortlock Terrace, Port Lincoln which will allow for enhanced service delivery and community engagement with young people from Port Lincoln and surrounds.
As always if you need urgent mental health support please reach out to the following supports:
Published on: July 4, 2025
