A much-needed service opened in Muswellbrook when the ribbons were cut at the Muswellbrook Medicare Mental Health Centre.
“Medicare Mental Health Centres offer free walk in information, support and care,” Emma McBride, assistant minister for mental health and suicide prevention, assistant minister rural and regional health, said at the opening.
“I’m pleased that this service based in Muswellbrook will have outreach to both Singleton and Scone, I know the difference that it makes to local people to have services in the heart of their local communities from people that they trust.”
She went on to explain that people will be able to walk in off the street without needing a referral or diagnosis and will be able to access the care and support they need for free.
At the official opening one of the peer workers Sophie Towler shared her own personal experience of navigating support services in the Upper Hunter and the struggles faced when having to repeat her story as she moved from one organisation to the next looking for what she needed.
“Accessing mental health services in the Upper Hunter can be challenging for consumers as they face hurdles, this includes but is not limited to financial barriers, long wait times, and staff shortages, as well as a lack of understanding on how to navigate what can be a complex system,” she shared.
“I envision Muswellbrook Medicare Mental Health Centre becoming a cornerstone of support in our community, where our clinicians and lived experience workers collaborate seamlessly as a successful and motivated team understanding our participants deeply, value timely responses, and addressing urgent matters with empathy and expertise to overcome the hurdles our community face.”
The Muswellbrook Medicare Mental Health Centre is located at 160 Bridge Street Muswellbrook, and is open 10am to 7pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10am to 5pm Tuesday and Friday and 12pm to 4pm on Saturday and Sundays.
