IN THE MARKET? – CLICK BELOW FOR OPEN HOMES THIS SATURDAY
Patients presenting to Redcliffe Hospital with mental health concerns are receiving specialist support within the emergency department, while recruitment at Caboolture Hospital is extending the initiative across Moreton Bay.
Earlier Mental Health Assessment At Redcliffe Hospital
Redcliffe was among the first Queensland hospitals to recruit specialist emergency department mental health nurses, alongside Redland and Hervey Bay.
The hospital currently has 2.94 full-time equivalent mental health nurses under the initiative and remains actively recruiting. Most hospitals taking part in the rollout are receiving the equivalent of 3.5 full-time specialist mental health nurses.
Working alongside emergency clinicians, the nurses can assess people presenting with mental health concerns and help determine the most appropriate care pathway earlier during their hospital visit.
Their role can also extend beyond the emergency department, with patients able to be connected to follow-up care, referrals or information about services available after they leave hospital.
Specialist Role Links Emergency And Ongoing Care
At Redcliffe Hospital, Nurse Practitioner Candidate Angus Hannon works with the emergency department team to assess, triage and treat people presenting with mental health concerns.
His role includes helping patients feel heard and respected while supporting connections to services suited to their needs.
Hannon’s nursing career was influenced by his own experience receiving chemotherapy at the age of 20. The care provided by nurses and other hospital staff shaped his career direction, while his first nursing placement later developed his interest in mental health care.
At Redcliffe, that work now includes helping patients move from their emergency department assessment into appropriate ongoing support, whether through follow-up by the mental health team, referrals to other services or information about services they can contact themselves.
The specialist positions are intended to provide more timely assessment and care for people arriving at emergency departments with mental health concerns.
Moreton Bay Rollout Reaches Caboolture
The same model is beginning to extend further across Moreton Bay, with recruitment now underway at Caboolture Hospital.
Caboolture is recruiting specialist mental health nurses alongside hospitals in Cairns, Nambour, Bundaberg and Rockhampton as the initiative expands beyond the first locations.
Across Queensland, 53 specialist mental health nurses are being introduced into emergency departments through Mental Health Levy funding. Redland, Redcliffe and Hervey Bay were the first hospitals to recruit, with more hospitals expected to introduce the roles in coming months.
The rollout is backed by an initial $93.1 million allocation, followed by $28.5 million in annual funding to continue specialist mental health support in emergency departments.
Redcliffe Hospital remains in active recruitment, while Caboolture’s recruitment marks the next step in extending the specialist emergency mental health nursing model across Moreton Bay.
Published 25-August-2026
CLICK ANY LOGO TO SEE PUBLICATION
