Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Minister for Mental Health regarding budget allocations for step-up, step-down mental health facilities in Bunbury and Karratha, and subacute services in Rockingham, Broome, and the Goldfields. The Minister confirms planning for Karratha and Bunbury will occur within existing resources, while funding for the other locations was previously allocated.

AnsweredQoN 410Legislative Council
Asked
13 August 2013
Portfolio
Mental Health

QuestionView source ↗

STATE
BUDGET 2013–14 — MENTAL HEALTH — STEP UP, STEP DOWN
FACILITIES
410. Hon SALLY
TALBOT to the Minister for Mental Health:
I refer to the minister's pre-election media
statement on 26 February 2013 when she announced that new step up, step down
facilities would be built in Bunbury and Karratha under the Liberal government's
mental health plan. How much has been allocated in last week's budget
for —
(a) work on the planning and
development of these two new facilities; and
(b) work on
the planning and development of subacute services in Rockingham, Broome and the
goldfields?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of the question.
(a) I
reiterate how important I think the subacute facilities are for providing a
much-needed alternative to acute care when people in hospital do not actually
need to be there but cannot be discharged straightaway because they do not have
a place to go. In this particular case we announced prior to the election that
Karratha and Bunbury were the next two areas where we would provide subacute
facilities; that is, after Joondalup, Rockingham, Broome and Kalgoorlie. The
planning for these will be undertaken within existing resources. Following that
information, we will be able to determine precisely in terms of time lines and
budget outlines where this needs to be included in the budget. At this stage
that information is not clear.
(b) The funding
for the planning and development of the services at Rockingham, Broome and the
goldfields has been allocated in previous years. Approximately $3.1 million has
been allocated for development of the Broome service, and $7.8 million for the
Rockingham and the goldfields services. We will therefore be able to have the
four that have already had funding allocated, and funding for the two that have
planning already commenced will be put into the budget at the time we know it
is most appropriate for that to happen.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more