❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks clarification on the potential outsourcing of mental health patient transport from police to a third-party provider, focusing on costs, provider selection, and the use of security guards. The Minister's response outlines plans for a Mental Health Patient Transfer Service for inter-hospital transfers, while community transports remain unchanged.
AnsweredQoN 5179Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the escort and transport of involuntary mentally ill patients that is now done by police officers, and I ask -
(1) Has the Commissioner of Police approached the Minister or her office requesting a third party provider to be written into the new
Mental Health Act
?
(2) If yes to (1), when?
(3) Will a third party provider be written into the Act?
(4) If yes to (3), will it be for the escort or transport function, or both?
(5) At what cost is the third party provider for the escort and transport function?
(6) Who are the front-running organisations being looked at for the escort and transfer functions?
(7) Can the Minister give an assurance that security guards will not be used in the escort or transport of involuntary mental health patients?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(1) Has the Commissioner of Police approached the Minister or her office requesting a third party provider to be written into the new
Mental Health Act
?
(2) If yes to (1), when?
(3) Will a third party provider be written into the Act?
(4) If yes to (3), will it be for the escort or transport function, or both?
(5) At what cost is the third party provider for the escort and transport function?
(6) Who are the front-running organisations being looked at for the escort and transfer functions?
(7) Can the Minister give an assurance that security guards will not be used in the escort or transport of involuntary mental health patients?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
2 May 2012
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health
Response time
57 days
(1-2) I regularly engage in discussions on a range of issues with officials whose work intersects with mental health and have met with the Commissioner of WA Police. Those discussions would include the changes to the Mental Health Bill which include transport of mental health patients. No specific third party provider has been suggested by the Commissioner of Police
(3) The Mental Health Bill regulations will specify who will be authorised other than police to provide transport for mental health patients placed on transport forms.
(4) The model being proposed is a Mental Health Patient Transfer Service which will conduct transfer of mental health patients who have been placed on forms between hospitals within the metropolitan area. Community to hospital mental health escorts or transports will remain unchanged.
(5) The estimated cost is being finalised and will then be subject to the budget process.
(6) There is no preferred provider or front running organisation
(7) The successful tender applicant for the Mental Health Patient Transfer Service will need to demonstrate that it has staff who have appropriate mental health competencies and access to clinical staff and suitably equipped ambulance and transfer vehicles commensurate to the complexity of working within this setting.
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(3) The Mental Health Bill regulations will specify who will be authorised other than police to provide transport for mental health patients placed on transport forms.
(4) The model being proposed is a Mental Health Patient Transfer Service which will conduct transfer of mental health patients who have been placed on forms between hospitals within the metropolitan area. Community to hospital mental health escorts or transports will remain unchanged.
(5) The estimated cost is being finalised and will then be subject to the budget process.
(6) There is no preferred provider or front running organisation
(7) The successful tender applicant for the Mental Health Patient Transfer Service will need to demonstrate that it has staff who have appropriate mental health competencies and access to clinical staff and suitably equipped ambulance and transfer vehicles commensurate to the complexity of working within this setting.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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