What do people affected by a mental illness and carers say about the help they
receive from emergency services? What is needed to improve the response of
police and ambulance services, mental health crisis teams, and hospital
emergency departments when someone has a mental health crisis?
A survey was conducted between November 2012 and January 2013, using a
convenience sample of 606 responses to an anonymous questionnaire accessed via
www.sane.org (SANE Australia). Most respondents were female (77%) and aged predominantly 25-49
(36%). The diagnoses reported most frequently were depression (27%), bipolar
disorder (18%), schizophrenia (15%), anxiety disorders (11%), and personality
disorders (7%). The survey was intended to investigate the experience of
respondents when they had used emergency services for an urgent mental health
concern. Results have been used to identify barriers to effective care, and to
make recommendations for improvements. This two-page article summarises the results. (APO 28 June 2013)
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