Currently anyone admitted to Griffith Base Hospital while undergoing a severe mental health crisis is transferred two hours away to an acute mental health ward in Wagga.

Between July 2015 and May 2020, there was 882 transfers from Griffith's hospital to Wagga for mental health care.

Griffith psychologist Kathryn Munro treats several patients every week who have at some point needed crisis mental health care and she says the prospect of being transferred can be daunting.

"I know of times when people in mental health crisis are both uncomfortable about presenting to the hospital and also really quite stressed about the prospect of having to go over to Wagga," Ms Munro said.

"I'm even aware of people who have said they are less likely to want to present to the hospital because there's such a disruption to their life if they have to go to Wagga."

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Ms Munro said having to travel for treatment meant Griffith residents are taken away from their family, friends and support bases during an already stressful time.

The treatment in Wagga often helps people get back on their feet, however Griffith residents regularly find themselves "in a hole" after returning home as that level of care is no longer available, she said.

Ms Munro said the development of a dedicated mental health ward at Griffith Base Hospital would help solve these issues and even help improve mental health services across the city.

"If you've got an acute ward you will attract specialists and people that are interested in working in that ward which then has a flow on effect in terms of more services in the community," she said.

"The people who staff our current mental health services and the hospital are doing the best they can in often difficult circumstances, but with a catchment area as big as ours and the level of need we have in the community we need more services."

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Member for Murray Helen Dalton has been pushing hard for the development of a designated mental health ward at the hospital and says the need is clear.

"There is definitely a need to have resources and staff and a proper mental health unit in Griffith Base Hospital and to do it properly too," Mrs Dalton said.

"We want a seperate ward, with seperate mental health nurses and psychologists."

"We don't want mental health patients in the general ward because that is totally unnacceptable."

As part of the $250 million redevelopment of Griffith Base Hospital, the Murrumbidgee Local Health District has confirmed a short stay mental health ward is being established.

Those with acute needs would still need to be transferred to the specialist centre in Wagga.

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