HPU 133 Mental Health Emergency Short Stay Unit describes the operational, functional and design requirements for a mental health service providing short term admission for those with low to medium acuity mental health problems who present to an Emergency Department (ED) and do not require admission to an acute mental health inpatient unit. This facility is usually collocated with ED.
An updated revision of HPU 133 Mental Health Emergency Short Stay Unit (Revision 7.0, August 2024) has been uploaded to the AusHFG website. The revised version has been informed by an extensive consultation process through a co-design approach with clinical, operational and technical experts, as well as participants with lived experience of mental illness.
Key changes to the document include:
- Modification of the HPU name from Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre (PECC) to Mental Health Emergency Short Stay Unit (MHESSU) given PECC is not a term used in all jurisdictions, to better describe the unit and for naming consistency with other Short Stay Units associated with ED.
- Updates to the Models of Care section to reflect contemporary practice.
- Inclusion of definitions for relevant terms.
- Inclusion of design recommendations relating to the ‘1 Bed Room’ provided on these units to reflect the room’s smaller size and fewer Furniture, Fittings and Equipment (FFE) inclusions due to consumers' shorter length of stay.
- Updates to the Design section to avoid duplication of information already covered in HPU 131 Mental Health - Overarching Guideline.
- Addition of sections for Sexual Safety and Safety & Security to reflect specific requirements for MHESSU.
- Revised Schedule of Accommodation (SOA) scenarios to align with a typical minimum unit size of 6 beds.
- Minor adjustments to support areas within the SOA including patient property storage, toilet allocations, staff stations and medication room areas.
A thank you is extended to all those who have contributed to the review and update of this document.
Kind Regards,
The AusHFG Team