❓ A parliamentary question asks the Attorney General about transferring responsibility for prisoner health care from the Ministry of Justice to the Health Department, following recommendations from an Ombudsman's report. The Attorney General's response outlines the current joint management structure and indicates that the present arrangements will continue for the immediate future pending further advice.
AnsweredQoN 150Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to recommendations in the report of the Ombudsman’s inquiry into deaths in prisons in Western Australia, dated December 2000. Will the Attorney General move responsibility for prisoner health care from the Ministry of Justice to the Health Department? Hon N.D. GRIFFITHS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The oversight of prisoner health services is currently the responsibility of a joint executive comprising senior representatives of the Health Department and the Ministry of Justice. This joint executive reports to a joint justice-health interdepartmental council convened by the chief executives of both agencies. In addition, an independent clinical advisory committee is chaired by Professor Bryant Stokes, Chief Medical Officer. These arrangements are kept under regular review by the joint justice-health interdepartmental council. The Attorney General is expecting further advice on this matter, but for the immediate future the present arrangements will continue.
Hon N.D. GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The oversight of prisoner health services is currently the responsibility of a joint executive comprising senior representatives of the Health Department and the Ministry of Justice. This joint executive reports to a joint justice-health interdepartmental council convened by the chief executives of both agencies. In addition, an independent clinical advisory committee is chaired by Professor Bryant Stokes, Chief Medical Officer. These arrangements are kept under regular review by the joint justice-health interdepartmental council. The Attorney General is expecting further advice on this matter, but for the immediate future the present arrangements will continue.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The oversight of prisoner health services is currently the responsibility of a joint executive comprising senior representatives of the Health Department and the Ministry of Justice. This joint executive reports to a joint justice-health interdepartmental council convened by the chief executives of both agencies. In addition, an independent clinical advisory committee is chaired by Professor Bryant Stokes, Chief Medical Officer. These arrangements are kept under regular review by the joint justice-health interdepartmental council. The Attorney General is expecting further advice on this matter, but for the immediate future the present arrangements will continue.
Hon N.D. GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The oversight of prisoner health services is currently the responsibility of a joint executive comprising senior representatives of the Health Department and the Ministry of Justice. This joint executive reports to a joint justice-health interdepartmental council convened by the chief executives of both agencies. In addition, an independent clinical advisory committee is chaired by Professor Bryant Stokes, Chief Medical Officer. These arrangements are kept under regular review by the joint justice-health interdepartmental council. The Attorney General is expecting further advice on this matter, but for the immediate future the present arrangements will continue.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The oversight of prisoner health services is currently the responsibility of a joint executive comprising senior representatives of the Health Department and the Ministry of Justice. This joint executive reports to a joint justice-health interdepartmental council convened by the chief executives of both agencies. In addition, an independent clinical advisory committee is chaired by Professor Bryant Stokes, Chief Medical Officer. These arrangements are kept under regular review by the joint justice-health interdepartmental council. The Attorney General is expecting further advice on this matter, but for the immediate future the present arrangements will continue.
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