❓ A parliamentary question regarding reported deaths within WA's mental health system, seeking clarification on definitions, causes of death, and demographic breakdowns, particularly concerning children. The Minister provides definitions and preliminary causes but notes the coroner's report is pending.
AnsweredQoN 906Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Further to the minister’s response to question 782 of 19 October regarding 34 reported unexpected deaths in Western Australia’s mental health system in the past year, I ask - (1) What is the definition of a “reported death” and the definition of an “actual death”? (2) What was the cause of death of the 13 people who died of causes which may be associated with their mental health? (3) Will the minister respond to parts (2), (3), (4) and (5) of my original question in relation to the number of deaths of children, females and males, and advise whether the children were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and when therapeutic intervention was sought and given? (4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(1) What is the definition of a “reported death” and the definition of an “actual death”? (2) What was the cause of death of the 13 people who died of causes which may be associated with their mental health? (3) Will the minister respond to parts (2), (3), (4) and (5) of my original question in relation to the number of deaths of children, females and males, and advise whether the children were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and when therapeutic intervention was sought and given? (4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(2) What was the cause of death of the 13 people who died of causes which may be associated with their mental health? (3) Will the minister respond to parts (2), (3), (4) and (5) of my original question in relation to the number of deaths of children, females and males, and advise whether the children were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and when therapeutic intervention was sought and given? (4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(3) Will the minister respond to parts (2), (3), (4) and (5) of my original question in relation to the number of deaths of children, females and males, and advise whether the children were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and when therapeutic intervention was sought and given? (4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(1) What is the definition of a “reported death” and the definition of an “actual death”? (2) What was the cause of death of the 13 people who died of causes which may be associated with their mental health? (3) Will the minister respond to parts (2), (3), (4) and (5) of my original question in relation to the number of deaths of children, females and males, and advise whether the children were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and when therapeutic intervention was sought and given? (4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(2) What was the cause of death of the 13 people who died of causes which may be associated with their mental health? (3) Will the minister respond to parts (2), (3), (4) and (5) of my original question in relation to the number of deaths of children, females and males, and advise whether the children were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and when therapeutic intervention was sought and given? (4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(3) Will the minister respond to parts (2), (3), (4) and (5) of my original question in relation to the number of deaths of children, females and males, and advise whether the children were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and when therapeutic intervention was sought and given? (4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(4) Will the minister also provide the number of female child deaths and male child deaths? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(1) “Reported death”: the operational circular of 15 May 2003 to all health services required mental health services to report to the chief psychiatrist all occurrences of any unexpected death of patients in any mental health service. A further requirement was that mental health services should notify the chief psychiatrist of any serious incidents that will or are likely to reflect on the standards of mental health care in Western Australia. This has been variably interpreted by mental health services to notify the chief psychiatrist of deaths, which the service becomes aware of, which may have a relationship to mental health services rather than a patient under the care of that service. “Actual death” refers to deaths of patients occurring in mental health areas. (2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(2) The coroner has not reported on the deaths, so the cause of death cannot be confirmed. The chief psychiatrist has indicated that the preliminary causes of death as reported to him are hanging, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, vehicle accident and some unconfirmed causes. (3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
(3)-(4) There were no children in the reported deaths.
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