Hospital in the Home: Kempsey's mental health services will be redesigned as part of state-first trial

A new, at-home model for mental health care is being introduced in Kempsey. The Mid North Coast Local Health District claims the restructure will reduce stigma associated with hospitalisation, provide more culturally considerate care plans, and reduce pressure on the Emergency Department and local police.

What’s happening: In 2026, Kempsey will become the first site in NSW to pilot a Mental Health Hospital in the Home (HiTH) program. 

• There are currently Mental Health HITH models in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania.
  

• “The pilot model of care being rolled out in Mid North Coast Local Health District has been adapted by NSW Health from Mental Health Hospital in the Home (HITH) models which have proven successful in other jurisdictions including South Australia and Victoria,” a NSW Health spokesperson told the Mid North Coaster.
  

• Former Australian of the Year, Patrick McGorry, is the Executive Director of Orygen Youth Health, a Professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, and a founding member of the National Youth Mental Health Foundation (headspace) board. McGorry told ABC News the at-home mental health treatment to patients in Melbourne has been “very successful”.

When will it happen: From January to February 2026, the pilot program will allow patients to receive specialist psychiatric care in their own homes or in a community setting.  

• This transition will coincide with the current 10-bed voluntary mental health unit at Kempsey District Hospital being relocated to Port Macquarie – more than 50-kilometres away.

About the new model: The Mental Health HiTH model is designed for voluntary patients who would otherwise require short-term inpatient admission. 

• Voluntary patients are not walk-ins.They require an assessment as well as a mental health diagnosis before being deemed as someone who will benefit from HiTH. 

• The patient can decline at-home care and instead present at another hospital for services.

The HiTH model includes: 

• Daily clinical reviews and medication support from a psychiatrist 
• Psychological and social work interventions
• Crisis response and step-up/step-down pathways planned around the circumstances and context of the individual 
• Family, carer and network engagement.

The services provided are suitable for people experiencing acute symptoms of mental illness or thoughts of suicide.

Why the redesign? This month, the Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) announced the current bed-based model in Kempsey is under-utilised and does not align with local demand.

• Fewer than half of voluntary admissions to the 10-bed unit at Kempsey District Hospital had come from the Macleay community in the last 12 months.

• The current voluntary mental health unit is not able to provide care for high-acuity or involuntary patients. These patients have always required transfer to inpatient units at Port Macquarie Base Hospital or Coffs Harbour Health Campus.

Show me the stats: Mid North Coast Local Health District reported:

• 60 percent of mental health admissions from Kempsey are transferred to Port Macquarie or Coffs Harbour as involuntary patients 

• Fewer than half (42 percent) of Kempsey’s voluntary unit admissions come from the Kempsey Shire community, with 38 percent from Port Macquarie  

• The unit has averaged 73 percent occupancy with highly variable demand, while local Kempsey Shire residents increasingly seek care through alternate pathways via community mental health services and outpatient programs.

During the HiTH pilot program, there will be four “virtual beds” – which means there is capacity to care for four patients in their homes.

Other support services: The HiTH service will operate alongside existing community-based mental health and wellbeing services, including addiction, disaster recovery, suicide prevention, case management, parenting support, and other services.

• During the month-long pilot, the 10-bed voluntary mental health unit at Kempsey District Hospital will be repurposed into a mental health hub, including community mental health and alcohol and other drugs services. 

• Inpatient beds remain available in Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.

Along with the HiTH model, other mental health Services are being introduced to the area in early 2026. They include:

• Aboriginal-led Safe Haven: a non-clinical home style space offering peer and professional support for people in acute distress. 

• Safeguards – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Specialist mental health support for children and adolescents in acute distress.

Safety measures: Mental Health HiTH aligns with mental health legislation and best practice, with thorough risk assessments, staff awareness of home environment, and dual working conditions. 

If any concerns arise, the care provided will be moved to a hospital setting.

ℹ️ If you need support: The public can continue to visit the Community Mental Health Team located at River Street in Kempsey, open weekdays 8am to 5pm or call the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 – this is the general intake number.

Other helplines:

• Lifeline on 13 11 14

• Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800

• MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978

• Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

• Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36

• Headspace on 1800 650 890

• QLife on 1800 184 527

 In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000) or attend your local Emergency Department.

Thumbnail: Kempsey District Hospital. Image: Mid North Coast Local Health District website.