Mental Health Services

The Mental Health Clinical Program at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) treats patients with a wide range of mental health conditions, offering specialist assessment and care in a hospital setting.

Our inpatient settings ensure that patients receive the appropriate level of care tailored to their needs, through a collaboration of state and federal government agencies, community-managed organisations, and private providers.

Inpatient mental health services at the RAH consist of a 40-bed Specialist Acute Mental Health Unit that supports clinical service delivery functions. 

The unit includes:

• Acute Care (AC)
• Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
• Short Stay Unit (SSU)

The unit is designed for increased observation and separation of high-risk patients, with internal courtyards providing secure, private outdoor spaces, while also maximising natural light and visibility. These areas are designed to offer greater flexibility when tailoring areas to specific consumer needs.

The unit cares for individuals aged 18 to 65 years, with suspected or confirmed mental health diagnoses. 

The PICU services offer treatment and support to people with a mental illness in a secure environment. Admission is determined by the degree and nature of distress associated with symptoms of illness, with less restrictive options explored first.

The Acute Mental Health inpatient unit is located at 2G, Level 2, at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. 

The unit is adjacent to the emergency department, a level below the main entrance and accessed separately. 

Mental health services at the RAH consist of a multidisciplinary team comprising medical specialists, nurses, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, and lived experience workforce

How are patients admitted to hospital mental health unit at the RAH? 

Walk ins, referrals from GPs or othr medical specialists? Explain here. 

Is there an urgent referrals process?