Pictou County residents in need of psychiatric service can now access it by way of technology that started last month.
Robert Graham, director of mental health and addictions for the northern zone of the Nova Scotia Health Authority, said during a recent public event outlining mental health and addictions support in the county that recent media reports stating psychiatric services were not available in the county are not accurate.
He said at the MayDay event on May 31 in New Glasgow that being part of the Nova Scotia Health Authority allows the northern zone to access tele-services that put mental health and addictions patients in Pictou County in contact with a psychiatrist in Halifax.
The Nova Scotia Health Authority confirmed in March to The News that the northern zone didn’t have a local psychiatrist on staff, but the mental health and addictions crisis intervention team would continue to triage and treat patients at the Aberdeen Hospital.
He said this week that the tele-service is a collaborative effort between local mental health and includes a registered nurse, psychologist, social worker as well as the psychiatrist and psychiatry residents. The family doctor is also part of the team and works to meet the client’s needs regarding assessment, diagnosis, medication review and treatment recommendations.
Graham said the tele-service can accommodate 12 clients per month and the service first started on May 1. People eligible for this service must be clients of mental health and addictions in Pictou County and have a primary care physician or nurse practitioner. They must also have an identified need for psychiatric consultation.
“Tele-psychiatry is limited primarily to a consulting service, with ongoing follow-up provided by the local MHA clinician and the family doctor/nurse practitioner,” he said.
Mental health and addictions clients who meet all the requirements for the service are given the information by their clinician and invited to attend. Appointments are made a week or two in advance. During the appointment at the mental health and addictions clinic, the client and psychiatrist will talk via the tele-health screen. The local clinician will also be in attendance during the entire session with the client.
When the session is finished, the psychiatrist will send a summary of findings and recommendations to the client’s family doctor. If medication is needed, a family doctor will do the prescribing and follow up with the client.
