Number of specialised mental health public hospital beds
South Australia saw one of the biggest reductions in public hospital beds in Australia since 1992-93, from 744 to 477 mental health beds in public hospitals, a decrease from 53.5 to 27.1 beds per 100,000 population.56
Number of specialised mental health public hospital beds - South Australia
Graph: Number of mental health public hospital beds SA. Source: AIHW data: Specialised mental health care facilities tables 2019-20. Table FAC.13.
Mental health emergency department presentations
The rate of emergency department presentation per 10,000 population grew from just over 100 in 2004-05 to 155.1 in 2020-21.
Rate of ED presentations per 10,000 population - South Australia
Graph: ED presentations per 10,000 population SA. Source: AIHW data Mental Health Services Provided in emergency departments data tables 2020-21
Trends in triage categories in South Australia have been relatively stable since 2015-16, with small increases in patients triaged as resuscitation, emergency and urgent.
Mental health related emergency department presentations in public hospitals by triage category 2015-16 to 2020-21 in South Australia - per cent
Graph: Mental health-related emergency department presentations in public hospitals, by triage category, per cent SA Source: AIHW Data: Mental Health Services Provided in emergency departments data tables 2015-16 to 2020–21
Emergency department mental health treatment times – ED length of stay
In South Australia in 2020-21 ED median length of stay for all mental health presentations was 4 hours and 51 minutes. For presentations ending in admissions, median length of stay was 7 hours and 13 minutes. 90th percentile length of stay for mental health presentations ending in admissions was 26 hours and 53 minutes.57
Source: AIHW Data: Mental Health Services Provided in emergency departments data tables 2016-17 to 2020-21
Mental health dmergency department presentations – ambulance arrival
More than one in two patients who present to emergency departments in South Australia arrive via ambulance, with 3.1 per cent growth over the 5-year period since 2016.
Mental health presentations ambulance arrival mode - South Australia
Graph: Mental health ED Presentations ambulance arrival mode. Source: AIHW Data Mental Health Services Provided in emergency departments data tables 2016-17 to 2020-21
Overnight admitted mental health care
Up to 2017-18, average length of stay for mental health patients in public hospitals was below the national average, by as much as 6 days in 2016-17 for example. In 2019-20, it was slightly above the national average, by 1.2 days.
Average length of stay for mental health patients in public hospitals - South Australia
Graph: Average length of stay for mental health patients in public hospitals. Source: AIHW 2022. Web report: Mental Health Services in Australia. Overnight admitted mental health care. Overnight admitted mental health related care tables, Table ON.1.
Sources
56AIHW 2022. Specialised mental health care facilities tables 2019-20. Table FAC.13. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services/mental-health-services-in-australia/report-content/specialised-facilities
57AIHW 2022. Mental Health Services Provided in Emergency Departments. Table ED.17: Mental health-related emergency department presentations in public hospitals, statistics for length of stay by states and territories, 2020–21