A WA parliamentary question seeks information on serious incident notifications received by the Mental Health Commission from service providers in the past year, including details of the incidents and referrals to external bodies. The Minister provides a detailed response.

AnsweredQoN 241Legislative Council
Asked
6 April 2011
Portfolio
Mental Health

QuestionView source ↗

MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION — NOTIFICATION OF INCIDENTS
I refer to the general provision for the purchase of community services by government agencies that requires service providers to notify the Mental Health Commission of the details of serious incidents. (1) In the last 12 months, how many notifications have been received by the Mental Health Commission from service providers? (2) Which service providers were involved? (3) What was the nature of the serious incident that led to the notification? (4) Has the matter been referred to any external body; and, if yes, where? Hon HELEN MORTON

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1)–(4) The Chief Psychiatrist has responsibility under the Western Australian Mental Health Act 1996 for monitoring the standards of psychiatric care provided throughout the state. All licensed psychiatric hostels and non-government organisations are required to report all deaths and serious incidents to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist as a matter of priority. The general provisions for the purchase of community services are not specific to mental health services and apply to all community service providers operating under the current WA government service agreement templates. In the last 12 months, the Mental Health Commission has received 13 notifications from the following service providers: Franciscan House, St Jude’s Hostel, Albany Halfway House, Mental Illness Fellowship of WA, Southern Cross Care WA and Life Without Barriers. The nature of these incidents was as follows: four incidents of referral to any statutory or investigative body; six incidents of clients posing a serious risk to their own health or to the health of others; and three incidents of client deaths. I am advised by the Mental Health Commission that it had not referred any of the 13 incidents to external agencies. The Mental Health Commission is aware that five incidents were separately reported to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. The remaining eight were assessed as not requiring referral to an external agency.
(1) In the last 12 months, how many notifications have been received by the Mental Health Commission from service providers? (2) Which service providers were involved? (3) What was the nature of the serious incident that led to the notification? (4) Has the matter been referred to any external body; and, if yes, where? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1)–(4) The Chief Psychiatrist has responsibility under the Western Australian Mental Health Act 1996 for monitoring the standards of psychiatric care provided throughout the state. All licensed psychiatric hostels and non-government organisations are required to report all deaths and serious incidents to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist as a matter of priority. The general provisions for the purchase of community services are not specific to mental health services and apply to all community service providers operating under the current WA government service agreement templates. In the last 12 months, the Mental Health Commission has received 13 notifications from the following service providers: Franciscan House, St Jude’s Hostel, Albany Halfway House, Mental Illness Fellowship of WA, Southern Cross Care WA and Life Without Barriers. The nature of these incidents was as follows: four incidents of referral to any statutory or investigative body; six incidents of clients posing a serious risk to their own health or to the health of others; and three incidents of client deaths. I am advised by the Mental Health Commission that it had not referred any of the 13 incidents to external agencies. The Mental Health Commission is aware that five incidents were separately reported to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. The remaining eight were assessed as not requiring referral to an external agency.
(2) Which service providers were involved? (3) What was the nature of the serious incident that led to the notification? (4) Has the matter been referred to any external body; and, if yes, where? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1)–(4) The Chief Psychiatrist has responsibility under the Western Australian Mental Health Act 1996 for monitoring the standards of psychiatric care provided throughout the state. All licensed psychiatric hostels and non-government organisations are required to report all deaths and serious incidents to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist as a matter of priority. The general provisions for the purchase of community services are not specific to mental health services and apply to all community service providers operating under the current WA government service agreement templates. In the last 12 months, the Mental Health Commission has received 13 notifications from the following service providers: Franciscan House, St Jude’s Hostel, Albany Halfway House, Mental Illness Fellowship of WA, Southern Cross Care WA and Life Without Barriers. The nature of these incidents was as follows: four incidents of referral to any statutory or investigative body; six incidents of clients posing a serious risk to their own health or to the health of others; and three incidents of client deaths. I am advised by the Mental Health Commission that it had not referred any of the 13 incidents to external agencies. The Mental Health Commission is aware that five incidents were separately reported to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. The remaining eight were assessed as not requiring referral to an external agency.
(3) What was the nature of the serious incident that led to the notification? (4) Has the matter been referred to any external body; and, if yes, where? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1)–(4) The Chief Psychiatrist has responsibility under the Western Australian Mental Health Act 1996 for monitoring the standards of psychiatric care provided throughout the state. All licensed psychiatric hostels and non-government organisations are required to report all deaths and serious incidents to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist as a matter of priority. The general provisions for the purchase of community services are not specific to mental health services and apply to all community service providers operating under the current WA government service agreement templates. In the last 12 months, the Mental Health Commission has received 13 notifications from the following service providers: Franciscan House, St Jude’s Hostel, Albany Halfway House, Mental Illness Fellowship of WA, Southern Cross Care WA and Life Without Barriers. The nature of these incidents was as follows: four incidents of referral to any statutory or investigative body; six incidents of clients posing a serious risk to their own health or to the health of others; and three incidents of client deaths. I am advised by the Mental Health Commission that it had not referred any of the 13 incidents to external agencies. The Mental Health Commission is aware that five incidents were separately reported to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. The remaining eight were assessed as not requiring referral to an external agency.
(4) Has the matter been referred to any external body; and, if yes, where? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1)–(4) The Chief Psychiatrist has responsibility under the Western Australian Mental Health Act 1996 for monitoring the standards of psychiatric care provided throughout the state. All licensed psychiatric hostels and non-government organisations are required to report all deaths and serious incidents to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist as a matter of priority. The general provisions for the purchase of community services are not specific to mental health services and apply to all community service providers operating under the current WA government service agreement templates. In the last 12 months, the Mental Health Commission has received 13 notifications from the following service providers: Franciscan House, St Jude’s Hostel, Albany Halfway House, Mental Illness Fellowship of WA, Southern Cross Care WA and Life Without Barriers. The nature of these incidents was as follows: four incidents of referral to any statutory or investigative body; six incidents of clients posing a serious risk to their own health or to the health of others; and three incidents of client deaths. I am advised by the Mental Health Commission that it had not referred any of the 13 incidents to external agencies. The Mental Health Commission is aware that five incidents were separately reported to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. The remaining eight were assessed as not requiring referral to an external agency.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1)–(4) The Chief Psychiatrist has responsibility under the Western Australian Mental Health Act 1996 for monitoring the standards of psychiatric care provided throughout the state. All licensed psychiatric hostels and non-government organisations are required to report all deaths and serious incidents to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist as a matter of priority. The general provisions for the purchase of community services are not specific to mental health services and apply to all community service providers operating under the current WA government service agreement templates. In the last 12 months, the Mental Health Commission has received 13 notifications from the following service providers: Franciscan House, St Jude’s Hostel, Albany Halfway House, Mental Illness Fellowship of WA, Southern Cross Care WA and Life Without Barriers. The nature of these incidents was as follows: four incidents of referral to any statutory or investigative body; six incidents of clients posing a serious risk to their own health or to the health of others; and three incidents of client deaths. I am advised by the Mental Health Commission that it had not referred any of the 13 incidents to external agencies. The Mental Health Commission is aware that five incidents were separately reported to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. The remaining eight were assessed as not requiring referral to an external agency.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1)–(4) The Chief Psychiatrist has responsibility under the Western Australian Mental Health Act 1996 for monitoring the standards of psychiatric care provided throughout the state. All licensed psychiatric hostels and non-government organisations are required to report all deaths and serious incidents to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist as a matter of priority. The general provisions for the purchase of community services are not specific to mental health services and apply to all community service providers operating under the current WA government service agreement templates. In the last 12 months, the Mental Health Commission has received 13 notifications from the following service providers: Franciscan House, St Jude’s Hostel, Albany Halfway House, Mental Illness Fellowship of WA, Southern Cross Care WA and Life Without Barriers. The nature of these incidents was as follows: four incidents of referral to any statutory or investigative body; six incidents of clients posing a serious risk to their own health or to the health of others; and three incidents of client deaths. I am advised by the Mental Health Commission that it had not referred any of the 13 incidents to external agencies. The Mental Health Commission is aware that five incidents were separately reported to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. The remaining eight were assessed as not requiring referral to an external agency.
(1)–(4) The Chief Psychiatrist has responsibility under the Western Australian Mental Health Act 1996 for monitoring the standards of psychiatric care provided throughout the state. All licensed psychiatric hostels and non-government organisations are required to report all deaths and serious incidents to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist as a matter of priority. The general provisions for the purchase of community services are not specific to mental health services and apply to all community service providers operating under the current WA government service agreement templates. In the last 12 months, the Mental Health Commission has received 13 notifications from the following service providers: Franciscan House, St Jude’s Hostel, Albany Halfway House, Mental Illness Fellowship of WA, Southern Cross Care WA and Life Without Barriers. The nature of these incidents was as follows: four incidents of referral to any statutory or investigative body; six incidents of clients posing a serious risk to their own health or to the health of others; and three incidents of client deaths. I am advised by the Mental Health Commission that it had not referred any of the 13 incidents to external agencies. The Mental Health Commission is aware that five incidents were separately reported to the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist. The remaining eight were assessed as not requiring referral to an external agency.

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