BRIMBANK NORTH WEST
Home » Uncategorized » Mental health helpline closes

Mental health helpline closes

WESTERN suburbs residents will be among the hardest hit by this week’s closure of the state’s only 24-hour mental health advice line.

More than a quarter of the 800 monthly calls to the Mental Health Advice Line came from Melbourne’s north-west. It shut down at midnight on Monday.

Mental Health Minister Mary Wooldridge’s spokesman, Michael Moore, said the advice line had not met expectations.

He said it averaged only 800 calls a month, compared to other services such as Lifeline which received nearly 10,000 monthly calls.

“Discontinuing the service will also help reduce the confusion in the community around the number of telephone lines people can call,” he said.

“From March 19, anyone calling the mental health advice line will be transferred to Nurse-on-Call, which operates 24 hours a day.”

Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the government seemed to be measuring the effectiveness of the service by the number of calls received.

“But if the service helps a person through their darkest hour of despair and gets them the treatment they need, then surely that’s what counts the most,” he said.

“Closing the statewide mental health advice line will simply compound existing stresses on frontline mental health services.”

Health and Community Services Union state secretary Lloyd Williams said the closure of the advice line would put even more pressure on workers.

“The calls will be picked up by our mental health teams and it will just put more pressure on the system.”

The director of New View Psychology, Maria Mercuri, said many western suburbs residents relied on services like the advice line because it could take months to get access to a psychologist.

“Finance is a big factor and to get onto a bulk-billing psychologist is very difficult, so people ended up waiting a long time to get treatment.”

Youth worker Les Twentyman said the government was putting dollars before people’s lives.

Digital Editions


  • Community welcomes Year of Horse

    Community welcomes Year of Horse

    About 100 locals attended a Lunar New Years celebration on Thursday 19 February, hosted by Djerriwarrh Community and Education Services at its Sunshine campus. Students,…

More News

  • Barro extension granted twice

    Barro extension granted twice

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 231116 The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria has granted the operator of Kealba landfill, Barro Group, an extension to 19 March to demonstrate why…

  • Cleopatra performance showcases local talent

    Cleopatra performance showcases local talent

    A powerful new ballet is set to captivate audiences in Caroline Springs this March, as a cast of passionate adult performers present Cleopatra, The Last Pharaoh at the Catholic Regional…

  • Lions’ T20 delight

    Lions’ T20 delight

    There was no repeat of last year as Deer Park claimed the Victorian Turf Cricket Association group A T20 premiership. The Lions were made to work for the title, with…

  • Community art promotes inclusion

    Community art promotes inclusion

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 536103 A vibrant collection of artwork by local residents, including people living with disability, seniors, those experiencing mental health challenges, and members of Culturally…

  • Saints ready to launch

    Saints ready to launch

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 458912 Consistency and doing the small things right are the keys for St Albans Saints in the National Premier League this season. The Saints…

  • EPA conducts odour blitz

    EPA conducts odour blitz

    The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said it has conducted more than 36 inspections and issued eight compliance notices in relation to recent reports of odour in Melbourne’s inner west. The…

  • Accused murderer makes bail bid

    Accused murderer makes bail bid

    Accused murderer Greg Lynn is not an unacceptable risk to the community, his lawyers have argued as he makes a bid for freedom. Lynn, 59, formerly of Caroline Springs, sat…

  • Clean Up Australia Day events

    Clean Up Australia Day events

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 536022 Brimbank residents can take part in Clean Up Australia Day this Sunday 1 March, alongside hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the country.…

  • Young leaders converge

    Young leaders converge

    Seventy-five students from high schools across Melbourne’s north-west attended a student leadership summit on Friday 20 February, providing an opportunity for young people in the region to develop leadership skills…

  • New Ramsey into the record books

    New Ramsey into the record books

    Jhett Ramsey was one of two Sunshine Heights players to write himself into the record books on Saturday, breaking a record set by his father in 2017. Neil Hariman and…