Opinion | To soften the mental health impact of coronavirus, Hong Kong must take better care of the vulnerable
- Regular mental health care services in Hong Kong have been disrupted by both the protests and Covid-19. The city must review how these vital services are delivered, and pay attention to the needs of the most vulnerable groups
As a result, regular mental health care services have been disrupted significantly. Some who are recovering from mental illness no longer keep psychiatric appointments to reduce the risk of catching the virus while waiting in long outpatient clinic queues.
As Hong Kong turns the corner in the Covid-19 crisis, it is time to reflect on what we can learn from the past three months and review the delivery of mental health services.
Firstly, we need to consider hybrid modes of delivery. Policy planners and service managers should think seriously about how community-based clinical services can be reconfigured to be reliable, safe and clinically sound.
With a lot of services moving online, mental health professionals have been providing telecare by giving information about psychotropic medication to carers through social media, or delivering therapy through online video meetings.
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Despite the challenges posed by unfamiliarity with online platforms, many innovative practices have emerged that use both online and offline environments to provide more user-friendly support.