PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES

             (Crisis Mental Health Team)

The following information is based on the Christchurch services.

Who Are They?
o PES is the public mental health service that works with suicide crisis and acute psychiatric disorders. They provide 24 hour emergency care and assessments for people in psychiatric crisis as well as providing information about the support services available.

o The assessment is similar to getting a full medical from your doctor, however it focuses specifically on your mental and emotional health and all that influences this. The supportive staff will ask you a series of questions exploring your history, mood, biological changes, stressors in your life, thoughts, nutrition, physical illnesses, substance use, and more.

o PES will refer people to other services within public mental health services (sector base care) after assessment, if appropriate. Your GP can also refer you through to mental health services.

o As it can take 6 to 8 weeks for a person to be admitted to community mental health care, PES can be involved with monitoring your crisis plan for this period of time.

o The staff are nurses, psychiatrists and social workers. The staff are dedicated and they tend to be very busy.

Where And When Are They?
o Check the list to the right for locations around New Zealand

o Christchurch : 8am – 5pm 74 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch (phone first)
PHONE : 03-364-0482 (0800-930-092)
o 5pm – 8am (through the night) visit the Accident & Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital.

o There can be waiting times (0-4 hours) to see staff as other emergencies can arise unexpectedly and priorities need to be juggled. So phone to make an appointment first. Some people prefer to go in to PES and wait as they feel safer there, than at home alone.

o PES are able to do home visits, but the ability to do these is limited because of staffing numbers and safety issues. The Police & Ambulance Services are involved first where there is violence, safety issues or when people have harmed themselves.