New South Wales has announced reforms to its emergency response system, which will see specialist nurses dispatched to some mental health emergencies instead of police. This change comes after multiple fatalities involving individuals in mental health distress.
Mental health and police ministers, Rose Jackson and Yasmin Catley, confirmed on Thursday that a new team of mental health experts will assess triple 0 calls related to mental health 24/7. This initiative aims to provide improved support for those experiencing a mental health incident.
The reform, backed by $270 million over ten years, will also establish a hub offering real-time clinical advice to NSW Ambulance first responders. Additionally, eight new mental health teams, comprising a paramedic and a specialist mental health nurse, will offer a health-led response to call-outs for 12 hours daily. Outside these hours, police or existing co-response models will continue to respond.
Police will remain the primary responders in situations where there is a risk to safety, such as when someone is armed. The mental health minister, Rose Jackson, stated that this reform is "only the beginning" and could potentially be expanded statewide.