Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) is now inviting tender submissions for the provision of psychosocial support services in the Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay regions.

The National Psychosocial Support Measure (NPSM), funded by the Federal Government, provides psychosocial support services to assist people with severe mental illness resulting in reduced functional capacity.

The objectives of the NPSM are to:

• support people with a severe mental illness and associated psychosocial functional impairment who are not more appropriately supported through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
• improve access to psychosocial support services, mental health outcomes, and equity in service availability
• reduce the avoidable need for more intense and acute health services and enhance appropriate and optimal use of the health system.

The NDIS provides support for eligible people over a long time period, and is targeted for people who require more intense and complex levels of mental health support.

These tenders have been developed to address opportunities identified in the National Psychosocial Support Measure Needs Assessment undertaken by NQPHN.

NQPHN Chief Executive Officer John Gregg said service provisions are primarily targeted at improving the wellbeing of individuals receiving mental health care through the primary health sector as well as people who currently may lack access to mental health and GP support.

“Effective psychosocial support activities provide a focus on capacity building, particularly those that intervene in the early stage of the course of illness and can include things like developing social and vocational skills, financial management and budgeting, maintaining physical wellbeing, and building broader life skills such as confidence and resilience,” said Mr Gregg.

“The services work in partnership with families and carers as appropriate and provide a range of non-clinical, community-based support for individuals to achieve their recovery goals and help them to live happier, healthier, longer lives.

“NQPHN look forward to working in collaboration with providers to improve coordination of care and access to services for individuals so they can receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”

NQPHN is encouraging tender applications from urban and rural localities in the Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay areas.

Separate tenders were simultaneously released across Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay areas of the NQPHN region.

Applicants interested in applying for the tenders should visit NQPHN’s online procurement portal at www.nqphn.com.au/commissioning