A WA parliamentary question raises concerns about the SouthWest24 mental health crisis call centre being operated from Sydney and its handling of a critical situation, particularly regarding response times and coordination with other services.

AnsweredQoN 209Legislative Council
Asked
2 May 2006
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

SOUTHWEST24 CALL CENTRE
(1) Is it true that SouthWest24, the mental health crisis telephone call centre for people in the south west of Western Australia, is operated from Sydney after hours and weekends? (2) Is the minister aware that the mother of a suicidal man living in the south west was put on hold for 30 minutes by SouthWest24 after the man had doused himself in petrol? (3) Is the minister aware that the Sydney-based operator told the parent to go to her nearest psychiatric unit, which was two and a half hours away? (4) Is the minister aware that the mother was advised to get her local hospital to fax a report to the psychiatric unit but, as the call was made on a Saturday, the report could not be sent until the following Tuesday? (5) Will the minister cease the practice of using a Sydney-based operator for SouthWest24? (6) What other plans does the minister have for improving crisis management of psychiatric patients living one to three hours away from Bunbury in the south west of Western Australia? (7) How does SouthWest24 link with Rurallink, a crisis call centre for non-metropolitan people provided by the Psychiatric Emergency Team in Perth? Hon KATE DOUST

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.
(2) Is the minister aware that the mother of a suicidal man living in the south west was put on hold for 30 minutes by SouthWest24 after the man had doused himself in petrol? (3) Is the minister aware that the Sydney-based operator told the parent to go to her nearest psychiatric unit, which was two and a half hours away? (4) Is the minister aware that the mother was advised to get her local hospital to fax a report to the psychiatric unit but, as the call was made on a Saturday, the report could not be sent until the following Tuesday? (5) Will the minister cease the practice of using a Sydney-based operator for SouthWest24? (6) What other plans does the minister have for improving crisis management of psychiatric patients living one to three hours away from Bunbury in the south west of Western Australia? (7) How does SouthWest24 link with Rurallink, a crisis call centre for non-metropolitan people provided by the Psychiatric Emergency Team in Perth? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.
(3) Is the minister aware that the Sydney-based operator told the parent to go to her nearest psychiatric unit, which was two and a half hours away? (4) Is the minister aware that the mother was advised to get her local hospital to fax a report to the psychiatric unit but, as the call was made on a Saturday, the report could not be sent until the following Tuesday? (5) Will the minister cease the practice of using a Sydney-based operator for SouthWest24? (6) What other plans does the minister have for improving crisis management of psychiatric patients living one to three hours away from Bunbury in the south west of Western Australia? (7) How does SouthWest24 link with Rurallink, a crisis call centre for non-metropolitan people provided by the Psychiatric Emergency Team in Perth? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.
(4) Is the minister aware that the mother was advised to get her local hospital to fax a report to the psychiatric unit but, as the call was made on a Saturday, the report could not be sent until the following Tuesday? (5) Will the minister cease the practice of using a Sydney-based operator for SouthWest24? (6) What other plans does the minister have for improving crisis management of psychiatric patients living one to three hours away from Bunbury in the south west of Western Australia? (7) How does SouthWest24 link with Rurallink, a crisis call centre for non-metropolitan people provided by the Psychiatric Emergency Team in Perth? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.
(5) Will the minister cease the practice of using a Sydney-based operator for SouthWest24? (6) What other plans does the minister have for improving crisis management of psychiatric patients living one to three hours away from Bunbury in the south west of Western Australia? (7) How does SouthWest24 link with Rurallink, a crisis call centre for non-metropolitan people provided by the Psychiatric Emergency Team in Perth? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.
(6) What other plans does the minister have for improving crisis management of psychiatric patients living one to three hours away from Bunbury in the south west of Western Australia? (7) How does SouthWest24 link with Rurallink, a crisis call centre for non-metropolitan people provided by the Psychiatric Emergency Team in Perth? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.
(7) How does SouthWest24 link with Rurallink, a crisis call centre for non-metropolitan people provided by the Psychiatric Emergency Team in Perth? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.
Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.
On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, I thank the member for some notice of that question. Unfortunately, I do not appear to have an answer, although I hope to be able provide an answer at some point.

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