Attendance at Regional Ministerial Meeting

In a significant step towards improving mental health services across Queensland, Mental Health Care Navigator Kelly McGrath has showcased the impressive achievements of Isaac Navicare at a recent regional ministerial cabinet meeting and Town Hall meeting in Mackay in May.  

Attended by the Honourable Steven Miles, MP, Premier of Queensland, cabinet ministers and over 200 locals, the event highlighted the critical role of Navicare in addressing mental health needs in rural and remote communities.

The Honourable Shannon Fentiman, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services, and Minister for Women, alongside Michael Walsh, Director-General of Queensland Health, were among the key attendees.

Left: The Honourable Shannon Fentiman, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services, and on the right Mental Health Care Navigator Kelly McGrath

Ms McGrath provided an in-depth presentation on the development, implementation and ongoing impact of Isaac Navicare, emphasising the program’s success in the Isaac Region.

She highlighted the invaluable contributions of Mitsubishi Development in supporting Navicare’s development and operation, and also provided Minister Fentiman and Mr Walsh with details regarding the ongoing funding of Navicare, showcasing the program’s effectiveness and community impact.

An exciting development discussed at the meeting was the NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) grant led by Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in partnership with Wesley Research Institute. This grant will enable the expansion and evaluation of Navicare through QUT’s ‘The Bridging Study’.  This study aims to evaluate the clinical and economic impacts of the service, including reducing Queensland Ambulance Service and emergency department presentations, providing evidence to secure ongoing federal funding.

Ms McGrath also presented an impact report detailing the barriers regional populations face in accessing mental health support, addressing policy issues and highlighting potential cost savings for Medicare.

A one-year pilot evaluation by Navicare and Wesley Research Institute revealed that 4.6% of clients referred to Navicare telehealth services saw a resolution in their mental health issues once foundational needs were addressed, without the need for accessing mental health supports. This suggests significant potential cost savings to Medicare, estimated in the tens of millions of dollars annually.

Minister Fentiman offered to write a letter of support to the NQPHN, highlighting Navicare's value to the community and advocating for federal funding for the service.

Both Minister Fentiman and Mr Walsh expressed their admiration for Navicare’s tailored services, which enable people in remote communities to access timely, appropriate and affordable mental health support.