Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, as we mentioned on the show a couple of
weeks ago with one of the federal ministers, we know
that a new specialist mental health service for expectant to
new parents recently opened in Burry Springs. It aims to
fill a major gap in support across the Northern Territory,
the Gidget House Clinic. It's the first of its kind
in the territory and it's going to provide Medicare subsidized
(00:21):
face to face and telehealth appointments for up to seven
hundred patients each year. It comes as the Northern Territory
records some of the nation's highest rates of perinatal depression
and anxiety, with experts warning around one in five moms
and one in ten dads will experience mental health issues
(00:42):
during pregnancy and after birth. Now joining us on the
show is Alissa Laylor, the Director of Programs Delivery with
the Gidget Foundation of Australia. Good morning to you, Elissa.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Good morning Kenny. Thank you lovely to.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Have you on the show. Alissa, How significant is the
need for a US service like this in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Look, we know that families in the regional and remote
communities often face extra barriers to accessing mental health care,
whether that's distance, availability of services, or simply knowing where
to go. So for us to partner with Remote Territory
health Care, which is a comprehensive general practice, has really
allowed us to bring that specialist perinatal mental health care
(01:27):
into trusted local health services, making it much easier for
families to get help when they need it.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
We know becoming a parent as well, it can be
really overwhelming, but how do people know the difference between
like the normal stresses of having a baby and something
like post natal depression or anxiety that needs professional support.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Look. Pariinatal depression and anxiety refers to mental health challenges
experience during pregnancy in the first year after birth. While
many parents expect this to be a joy time, it
can also be incredibly overwhelming. These conditions are common, they're treatable,
and no one should feel they have to struggle through
them alone. We really recommend if you're experiencing any issues,
(02:16):
you know, badness, not being able to sleep, all those
things that you think are just standard when you have
a baby, is really to go and speak to your GP,
a trusted friend, someone in the community that can really
help you find the right support.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Now, tell me how long has the facility now been
operating here in the top end? Is it just a
couple of weeks?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Look, we had an official opening on the tenth of June,
which was officiated by the Honorable Assistant Minister Emma McBride. However,
we've been running that service since March, so we've been
running it for a few months now and it's just
been fantastic.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, how's it been going else? Sort of, you know,
I don't know where the popula is the base would
because we know that it's you know, it is a
really like it's really serious what people need to come
and see you guys for. But how how busy have
you been? Look?
Speaker 2 (03:13):
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. We've had incredible support
from local health providers, community organizations and businesses, which really
shows there's recognition that this service has been needed for
a long time with families accessing appointments. Exactly why we're
here to make that specialist support easier to access in
(03:33):
close to home. So we have two clinicians that provide
appointments there on Mondays and Wednesdays. So we've already delivered
over fifty appointments and supported more than ten families in
the region.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
That's awesome, and you know that's for those ten families,
it makes such a massive difference, I would imagine.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Oh, for sure, we really really really understand that, you know,
asking for help is a sign of strength, it's not
a sign of weakness. And the most important thing for
parents to know is that they're not alone and that
perintal depression and anxiety are common.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
That is such I reckon, that's such an important message
to get out there, is that asking for that help
it's not a weakness, it is indeed a strength, and
you know it's the right thing to do for you,
for your baby, for your whole family.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Absolutely tell me.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I know that the territory's got some of the country's
highest rates of perinatal mental health issues, but also some
of the lowest access to psychologists. How much of a
difference do you think this new service can make.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Look, I think it's a really significant issue. We really
estimate over twelve hundred parents in the Northern Territory will
experience per netal depression and anxiety every year, and equally
concerning that a third of those parents that will will
not seek professional help because they're unsure where to access
the support. So really exactly why services like gidget House
(05:01):
are so important.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Now. One of the challenges, as we know in the
Northern Territory is the tyranny of distance, you know, particularly
for families in remote communities. How will telehealth and those
outreach services help to make sure that people outside of
Darwin can still get that support even if they're not
able to get into our town center.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, one hundred percent. So we're really really fortunate to
run a telehealth service as well across the country, and
in particular it's so important with the Northern Territory as
you mentioned, with the distances between services. So everyone sort
of within the Northern Territory has access to gidget Health support,
(05:45):
to our telehealth service, so no one can go without
support within the region.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
So you know, if anybody out there listening this morning,
Alyssa is maybe in need of some of that support,
or you know, maybe it's their daughter, maybe it's their
you know, their wife, or you know, a brand new
mum or even a you know, even a brand new dad,
where can they contact you, guys, Well, what's the best
way to get in contact with you?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yes, so to access preenter mental health support. If you
want to contact Gidget Foundation Australia's Client Experience team on
one three hundred gidgets to discuss options. Otherwise, you can
go to our website which is Gidget Foundation dot org
dot au. Speak to your GP about a referral, speak
(06:35):
to a friend, speak to a loved one and absolutely
we are there to support you.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Alyssa such important works. Thank you so much for your
time this morning. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Thank you,
Well, as we mentioned on the show a couple of
weeks ago with one of the federal ministers, we know
that a new specialist mental health service for expectant to
new parents recently opened in Burry Springs. It aims to
fill a major gap in support across the Northern Territory,
the Gidget House Clinic. It's the first of its kind
in the territory and it's going to provide Medicare subsidized
(00:21):
face to face and telehealth appointments for up to seven
hundred patients each year. It comes as the Northern Territory
records some of the nation's highest rates of perinatal depression
and anxiety, with experts warning around one in five moms
and one in ten dads will experience mental health issues
(00:42):
during pregnancy and after birth. Now joining us on the
show is Alissa Laylor, the Director of Programs Delivery with
the Gidget Foundation of Australia. Good morning to you, Elissa.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Good morning Kenny. Thank you lovely to.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Have you on the show. Alissa, How significant is the
need for a US service like this in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Look, we know that families in the regional and remote
communities often face extra barriers to accessing mental health care,
whether that's distance, availability of services, or simply knowing where
to go. So for us to partner with Remote Territory
health Care, which is a comprehensive general practice, has really
allowed us to bring that specialist perinatal mental health care
(01:27):
into trusted local health services, making it much easier for
families to get help when they need it.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
We know becoming a parent as well, it can be
really overwhelming, but how do people know the difference between
like the normal stresses of having a baby and something
like post natal depression or anxiety that needs professional support.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Look. Pariinatal depression and anxiety refers to mental health challenges
experience during pregnancy in the first year after birth. While
many parents expect this to be a joy time, it
can also be incredibly overwhelming. These conditions are common, they're treatable,
and no one should feel they have to struggle through
them alone. We really recommend if you're experiencing any issues,
(02:16):
you know, badness, not being able to sleep, all those
things that you think are just standard when you have
a baby, is really to go and speak to your GP,
a trusted friend, someone in the community that can really
help you find the right support.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Now, tell me how long has the facility now been
operating here in the top end? Is it just a
couple of weeks?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Look, we had an official opening on the tenth of June,
which was officiated by the Honorable Assistant Minister Emma McBride. However,
we've been running that service since March, so we've been
running it for a few months now and it's just
been fantastic.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, how's it been going else? Sort of, you know,
I don't know where the popula is the base would
because we know that it's you know, it is a
really like it's really serious what people need to come
and see you guys for. But how how busy have
you been? Look?
Speaker 2 (03:13):
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. We've had incredible support
from local health providers, community organizations and businesses, which really
shows there's recognition that this service has been needed for
a long time with families accessing appointments. Exactly why we're
here to make that specialist support easier to access in
(03:33):
close to home. So we have two clinicians that provide
appointments there on Mondays and Wednesdays. So we've already delivered
over fifty appointments and supported more than ten families in
the region.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
That's awesome, and you know that's for those ten families,
it makes such a massive difference, I would imagine.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Oh, for sure, we really really really understand that, you know,
asking for help is a sign of strength, it's not
a sign of weakness. And the most important thing for
parents to know is that they're not alone and that
perintal depression and anxiety are common.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
That is such I reckon, that's such an important message
to get out there, is that asking for that help
it's not a weakness, it is indeed a strength, and
you know it's the right thing to do for you,
for your baby, for your whole family.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Absolutely tell me.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I know that the territory's got some of the country's
highest rates of perinatal mental health issues, but also some
of the lowest access to psychologists. How much of a
difference do you think this new service can make.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Look, I think it's a really significant issue. We really
estimate over twelve hundred parents in the Northern Territory will
experience per netal depression and anxiety every year, and equally
concerning that a third of those parents that will will
not seek professional help because they're unsure where to access
the support. So really exactly why services like gidget House
(05:01):
are so important.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Now. One of the challenges, as we know in the
Northern Territory is the tyranny of distance, you know, particularly
for families in remote communities. How will telehealth and those
outreach services help to make sure that people outside of
Darwin can still get that support even if they're not
able to get into our town center.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Yeah, one hundred percent. So we're really really fortunate to
run a telehealth service as well across the country, and
in particular it's so important with the Northern Territory as
you mentioned, with the distances between services. So everyone sort
of within the Northern Territory has access to gidget Health support,
(05:45):
to our telehealth service, so no one can go without
support within the region.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
So you know, if anybody out there listening this morning,
Alyssa is maybe in need of some of that support,
or you know, maybe it's their daughter, maybe it's their
you know, their wife, or you know, a brand new
mum or even a you know, even a brand new dad,
where can they contact you, guys, Well, what's the best
way to get in contact with you?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yes, so to access preenter mental health support. If you
want to contact Gidget Foundation Australia's Client Experience team on
one three hundred gidgets to discuss options. Otherwise, you can
go to our website which is Gidget Foundation dot org
dot au. Speak to your GP about a referral, speak
(06:35):
to a friend, speak to a loved one and absolutely
we are there to support you.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Alyssa such important works. Thank you so much for your
time this morning. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Thank you,
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