The Saskatchewan Health Authority is expanding mental health supports for patients heading into the emergency room at the Regina General Hospital.

This will mean the number of psychiatric nurses will increase to four full-time equivalent positions.

Director of Emergency Glen Perchie said coverage by the psych nurses will be from 7:30 to midnight every day.

“That will cover the majority of patients coming in with mental health crises,” Perchie said. “Those are our peak times, so it will cover the majority of people that need that care.”

Perchie said a wide array of mental health issues can be covered.

“This can be anything from anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal idealization, drug addiction problems,” Perchie said. “It’s a very far-ranging number of cases that come in and these nurses are specialized for that kind of care.”

Perchie said there was a serious need for this expansion of service.

“Patients coming in a crisis to a busy emergency department that’s noisy 24/7, and it’s not ideal,” Perchie said. “These services can actually wrap services around the patient and coordinate care around both within the in-patient areas and within the community, so it’s a better way to bring services to the patient.”

The cost of the expansion of service is in the $375,000 range.