A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses unexpected deaths in the mental health system, specifically regarding children and the circumstances surrounding their deaths. The Minister clarifies the reported figure is incorrect and no children were among the deaths.

AnsweredQoN 782Legislative Council
Asked
19 October 2005
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

Today The West Australian reported that there have been 34 unexpected deaths in Western Australia’s mental health system in the past year. (1) Will the minister confirm whether that figure is correct? (2) How many of those were the deaths of children and young people under 18 years of age? (3) How many were male? (4) How many were female? (5) Will the minister consider the individual circumstances of each of the deaths of children and ascertain at what age mental illness was first diagnosed and at what age medical intervention was available or accessed? (6) If not, why not? (7) If not, will the Child Death Review Committee study these factors; and if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(1) Will the minister confirm whether that figure is correct? (2) How many of those were the deaths of children and young people under 18 years of age? (3) How many were male? (4) How many were female? (5) Will the minister consider the individual circumstances of each of the deaths of children and ascertain at what age mental illness was first diagnosed and at what age medical intervention was available or accessed? (6) If not, why not? (7) If not, will the Child Death Review Committee study these factors; and if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(2) How many of those were the deaths of children and young people under 18 years of age? (3) How many were male? (4) How many were female? (5) Will the minister consider the individual circumstances of each of the deaths of children and ascertain at what age mental illness was first diagnosed and at what age medical intervention was available or accessed? (6) If not, why not? (7) If not, will the Child Death Review Committee study these factors; and if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(3) How many were male? (4) How many were female? (5) Will the minister consider the individual circumstances of each of the deaths of children and ascertain at what age mental illness was first diagnosed and at what age medical intervention was available or accessed? (6) If not, why not? (7) If not, will the Child Death Review Committee study these factors; and if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(4) How many were female? (5) Will the minister consider the individual circumstances of each of the deaths of children and ascertain at what age mental illness was first diagnosed and at what age medical intervention was available or accessed? (6) If not, why not? (7) If not, will the Child Death Review Committee study these factors; and if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(5) Will the minister consider the individual circumstances of each of the deaths of children and ascertain at what age mental illness was first diagnosed and at what age medical intervention was available or accessed? (6) If not, why not? (7) If not, will the Child Death Review Committee study these factors; and if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(6) If not, why not? (7) If not, will the Child Death Review Committee study these factors; and if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(7) If not, will the Child Death Review Committee study these factors; and if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(1) The figure is incorrect. The 34 unexpected deaths are those reported to the Chief Psychiatrist and include persons who were not known to mental health services. (2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(2) Nil. (3)-(7) Not applicable.
(3)-(7) Not applicable.

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