❓ Opposition asks about specific COVID-19 mental health funding for non-government organisations. Premier acknowledges increased need but cites reduced emergency department presentations, promising future focus on self-harm and suicide prevention.
AnsweredQoN 271Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE
271. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Premier:
I refer to the interview of the
president of the Western Australian Association for Mental Health, Kerry
Hawkins, on Gareth Parker's radio program this morning, calling for
desperately needed funding for mental health amid the COVID crisis. What has
the government spent on non-government community mental health support or
suicide prevention services over and above the existing funding since the state
of emergency was declared in relation to the COVID pandemic?
MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE
271. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Premier:
I refer to the interview of the
president of the Western Australian Association for Mental Health, Kerry
Hawkins, on Gareth Parker's radio program this morning, calling for
desperately needed funding for mental health amid the COVID crisis. What has
the government spent on non-government community mental health support or
suicide prevention services over and above the existing funding since the state
of emergency was declared in relation to the COVID pandemic?
AnswerView source ↗
I did not hear the interview and I am
unaware of it. I do know that we are putting record amounts of money into
mental health at this point in time—more than at any point in time in
the history of Western Australia. We are targeting critical shortages and
growing services to meet long-term demand. It has been very interesting over
the COVID-19 period what has happened in
respect of our health services around Western Australia. There has actually been a reduction in throughput of our hospitals more broadly and fewer people
presenting with mental health conditions to our emergency departments than
prior to COVID-19. Part of the reduction in activity in our hospitals is
because we delayed elective surgery because of concerns around personal
protective equipment. In relation to the requirement for mental health
services, it has been unusual to see that there has been a reduction in demand
for it in our emergency departments. There could be a range of reasons for
that. On the other hand, clearly, with more people losing their jobs and more
people closing their businesses and heightened anxiety about the economic,
social and health condition of the state, I expect that over time there will
be, and probably has already been, growth in concern around people self-harming
or indeed committing or attempting suicide. Clearly, we will need to ensure
that our focus, and the Mental Health Commission's focus, is very much
on those issues.
unaware of it. I do know that we are putting record amounts of money into
mental health at this point in time—more than at any point in time in
the history of Western Australia. We are targeting critical shortages and
growing services to meet long-term demand. It has been very interesting over
the COVID-19 period what has happened in
respect of our health services around Western Australia. There has actually been a reduction in throughput of our hospitals more broadly and fewer people
presenting with mental health conditions to our emergency departments than
prior to COVID-19. Part of the reduction in activity in our hospitals is
because we delayed elective surgery because of concerns around personal
protective equipment. In relation to the requirement for mental health
services, it has been unusual to see that there has been a reduction in demand
for it in our emergency departments. There could be a range of reasons for
that. On the other hand, clearly, with more people losing their jobs and more
people closing their businesses and heightened anxiety about the economic,
social and health condition of the state, I expect that over time there will
be, and probably has already been, growth in concern around people self-harming
or indeed committing or attempting suicide. Clearly, we will need to ensure
that our focus, and the Mental Health Commission's focus, is very much
on those issues.
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