Updated AusHFG Mental Health Emergency Short Stay Unit guidelines published

An updated Mental Health Emergency Short Stay Unit (MHESSU) guideline has been published, as part of the Australasian Health Facility Guidelines. 

These guidelines describe the operational, functional, and design requirements for short-term mental health services, designed for individuals with low to medium acuity mental health needs who do not require admission to an acute mental health unit. 

Several important updates have been made to the design and care guidelines, formerly known as the Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre. The name change aims to create consistency and align terminology used with other Short Stay Units associated with Emergency Departments.  

The changes aim to enhance the clarity, safety, and effectiveness of care in mental health emergency settings: 

• Modernised Models of Care reflecting contemporary practice. 

• Inclusion of definitions for relevant terms, enhancing understanding and consistency. 

• Design enhancements for ‘1 Bed Room’, incorporating the short-stay nature of these units. 

• Streamlined design guidelines to avoid duplicated content in the Overarching mental Health Guide (HPU 131). 

• Enhancements with a focus on sexual safety and security to reflect specific requirements for MHESSU. 

• Revised unit layouts to reflect the standard minimum unit size of six beds. 

• Enhancements to  support areas including patient property storage, toilet allocations, staff stations and medication room areas. 

The guidelines are developed by the Australasian Health Infrastructure Alliance, a collaboration of public health authorities across all Australian jurisdictions and New Zealand, administered by NSW Health Infrastructure.