Provider selected for new ‘connected’ mental health service 

Experienced mental health service provider Wellways Australia has been selected to lead delivery of the new Connected Care – Mental Health service across Tasmania. 

Wellways heads a consortium which also includes Stride Mental Health and Clarity Health Care. Together, they will provide a range of services to Tasmanians in every region in person, by phone and online. 

Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania PHN) is overseeing establishment of the new service, which is for adults with mild, moderate, or severe and complex mental illness.  

It will include support from urban hubs, with outreach to rural and remote areas. Psychology and psychiatry appointments will be offered by telehealth as well as in person, and there will be online support. 

The free service is funded by the Australian Government under the Primary Health Networks Program. 

Primary Health Tasmania spokesperson Alison O’Neill said Wellways was selected to lead delivery of Connected Care – Mental Health following an open tender process which attracted a strong field of applicants. 

“This integrated service model represents a significant shift in the way we have commissioned services for these levels of mental health support,” Mrs O’Neill said. 

“It was developed following extensive consultation with service providers, people with lived experience and other stakeholders, and is closely aligned with the Australian Government’s requirement for a ‘stepped care’ approach to mental health. 

“Connected Care – Mental Health is a single service being established in place of a number of existing services commissioned by Primary Health Tasmania. 

“What makes it different to services we’ve commissioned previously is that people will be able to move between different levels of care within a single service, as their needs change – which means a simpler and more seamless care experience.”  

Wellways is one of Australia’s largest mental health, wellbeing and carer service providers, and has been operating in Tasmania since 2013. Stride and Clarity have also been operating in Tasmania for several years.  

Wellways Acting Regional Manager – Tasmania, Ms Kylie Delaney, said people will enter the Connected Care – Mental Health service through a single access point.  

“Every person using our service will be assigned a team member who will coordinate their entire program of care, even if they move between different parts of our service,” she said.  

“This will help prevent the fragmentation many people experience when their support needs change and they have to move to a different service provider for a different level of care.” 

Ms Delaney said the multidisciplinary workforce will include psychologists, psychiatrists, Aboriginal health workers, peer workers, mental health nurses and allied health workers. 

“We’re looking forward to establishing this new service over the coming months, with full implementation from January 2027,” she said. 

Mrs O’Neill said the organisations Primary Health Tasmania currently commissions to deliver services for these levels of care will work alongside the new service during the six-month transition process, to ensure continuity of care. 

“These organisations have provided high-quality care to Tasmanians for many years, and we very much value their commitment to ensuring a smooth transition from the existing services to Connected Care – Mental Health,” she said. 

Connected Care – Mental Health will operate as part of Tasmania’s broader mental health system, working alongside GPs, Medicare Mental Health Centres, the Medicare Mental Health phone service and other mental health services to help people access the right support at the right time. 

Click here to download this media release as a PDF. 

Click here for more information about Connected Care – Mental Health, the work that led to its development, and to see updates during the service establishment and transition period.