❓ Hon Michelle Boylan questions the lack of dedicated regional mental health units for older adults, their treatment in general hospitals, length of stay, and the need to transfer high-security patients to Perth. The Minister's response indicates existing accommodation in general hospitals and transfers for tertiary care, with an average stay of 14.6 days.
AnsweredQoN 312Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Mental health services—Inpatient older age units
312. Hon Michelle Boylan to the parliamentary
secretary representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to my
question without notice 229 of 22 May 2025 regarding the absence of dedicated
inpatient older adult mental health units outside the Perth metropolitan area.
(1) In the absence of dedicated older adult mental
health units in regional WA, which hospital wards are older adults with mental
health conditions typically admitted to, and what triage processes are applied
on admission?
(2) In 2023–24, what was the average
length of stay for older adults with mental health conditions admitted to
non-metropolitan hospitals?
(3) Why does the government continue to require
high-security regional older adults to relocate to Perth for care, and will the
government commit to establishing dedicated inpatient units for older age
mental health patients in regional WA?
312. Hon Michelle Boylan to the parliamentary
secretary representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to my
question without notice 229 of 22 May 2025 regarding the absence of dedicated
inpatient older adult mental health units outside the Perth metropolitan area.
(1) In the absence of dedicated older adult mental
health units in regional WA, which hospital wards are older adults with mental
health conditions typically admitted to, and what triage processes are applied
on admission?
(2) In 2023–24, what was the average
length of stay for older adults with mental health conditions admitted to
non-metropolitan hospitals?
(3) Why does the government continue to require
high-security regional older adults to relocate to Perth for care, and will the
government commit to establishing dedicated inpatient units for older age
mental health patients in regional WA?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided by the Minister for Health.
(1)–(3) As previously advised, the WA
Country Health Service can accommodate older adult mental health patients in general
hospitals and multipurpose sites, including in general surgical and adult
mental health units, where clinically appropriate. Where patients are higher
acuity and require a tertiary level of service, they will be transferred to a
metropolitan older adult mental health facility. Older adult mental health
patients' average length of stay is 14.6 days. Older adult mental health
patients may have a range of conditions, increasing their complexity and length
of stay.
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided by the Minister for Health.
(1)–(3) As previously advised, the WA
Country Health Service can accommodate older adult mental health patients in general
hospitals and multipurpose sites, including in general surgical and adult
mental health units, where clinically appropriate. Where patients are higher
acuity and require a tertiary level of service, they will be transferred to a
metropolitan older adult mental health facility. Older adult mental health
patients' average length of stay is 14.6 days. Older adult mental health
patients may have a range of conditions, increasing their complexity and length
of stay.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.