❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding mental health within the WA Police Force, including OHS reports, suicides, and staffing levels of support services.
AnsweredQoN 246Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I
refer to mental health issues in the Western Australia Police Force, and for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018,
2019, 2020 and 2021 to date, I ask: (a) how
many mental health related occupational health and safety reports (for serving
police officers) were recorded for each year; (b) how
many suicides occurred each year where the officer was on duty; (c) how
many suicides occurred each year where the officer was off duty; (d) how
may case officers were employed in the Western Australia Police Force Health and Welfare
Division/Directorate for each year, by FTE; and (e) how
many psychologists are employed for each year, by FTE, and in which locality are
those personnel based?
refer to mental health issues in the Western Australia Police Force, and for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018,
2019, 2020 and 2021 to date, I ask: (a) how
many mental health related occupational health and safety reports (for serving
police officers) were recorded for each year; (b) how
many suicides occurred each year where the officer was on duty; (c) how
many suicides occurred each year where the officer was off duty; (d) how
may case officers were employed in the Western Australia Police Force Health and Welfare
Division/Directorate for each year, by FTE; and (e) how
many psychologists are employed for each year, by FTE, and in which locality are
those personnel based?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 October 2021
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Police
Response time
16 days
Western Australian police officers are encouraged and supported to access health, welfare and safety services, including regarding mental health. Some of these services can be accessed anonymously. The Western Australian Police Force advises that:
(a) the number of reports for 2015 was 18 reports; for 2016, 18 reports; for 2017, 16 reports; for 2018, 19 reports; for 2019, 33 reports; for 2020, 28 reports; and for 2021 (part year), 9 reports.
(b) the number of suicides which occurred where the police officer was on duty was 1 in 2015, 0 in 2016; 0 in 2017; 1 in 2018; 0 in 2019; 0 in 2020; and 0 in 2021 (part year).
(c) the number of suicides which occurred where the police officer was off duty was 0 in 2015; 0 in 2016; 1 in 2017; 0 in 2018; 1 in 2019; 0 in 2020; and 2 in 2021 (part year).
(d) the number of case officers employed in the Western Australian Police Force Health and Welfare Division was 6 FTE in 2015; 5.40 FTE in 2016; 6.00 FTE in 2017; 5.90 FTE in 2018; 6.00 FTE in 2019; 6.50FTE in 2020; and 7.18 FTE in 2021 (part year).
(e) WA Police Officers can access mental health services including 24/7 access to an on-call Clinical Psychologist and Chaplain and in-house and external psychological services. In region areas, mental health practitioners visit the districts multiple times a year and officers can access to telehealth services and referrals, as appropriate, to local mental health services.
The WA Police Force advises the agency employs 10 psychologists and in terms of FTE, there were 5.85FTE psychologists employed in 2015; 5.20 FTE in 2016; 4.60 FTE in 2017; 3.40 FTE in 2018; 5.60 FTE in 2019; 6.40 FTE in 2020 and 5.40 FTE in 2021 (part year).
In addition, the Western Australian Police Force continues to improve preventative, proactive and reactive policies together with available services, to enable officers to maintain positive physical and mental wellbeing.
(a) the number of reports for 2015 was 18 reports; for 2016, 18 reports; for 2017, 16 reports; for 2018, 19 reports; for 2019, 33 reports; for 2020, 28 reports; and for 2021 (part year), 9 reports.
(b) the number of suicides which occurred where the police officer was on duty was 1 in 2015, 0 in 2016; 0 in 2017; 1 in 2018; 0 in 2019; 0 in 2020; and 0 in 2021 (part year).
(c) the number of suicides which occurred where the police officer was off duty was 0 in 2015; 0 in 2016; 1 in 2017; 0 in 2018; 1 in 2019; 0 in 2020; and 2 in 2021 (part year).
(d) the number of case officers employed in the Western Australian Police Force Health and Welfare Division was 6 FTE in 2015; 5.40 FTE in 2016; 6.00 FTE in 2017; 5.90 FTE in 2018; 6.00 FTE in 2019; 6.50FTE in 2020; and 7.18 FTE in 2021 (part year).
(e) WA Police Officers can access mental health services including 24/7 access to an on-call Clinical Psychologist and Chaplain and in-house and external psychological services. In region areas, mental health practitioners visit the districts multiple times a year and officers can access to telehealth services and referrals, as appropriate, to local mental health services.
The WA Police Force advises the agency employs 10 psychologists and in terms of FTE, there were 5.85FTE psychologists employed in 2015; 5.20 FTE in 2016; 4.60 FTE in 2017; 3.40 FTE in 2018; 5.60 FTE in 2019; 6.40 FTE in 2020 and 5.40 FTE in 2021 (part year).
In addition, the Western Australian Police Force continues to improve preventative, proactive and reactive policies together with available services, to enable officers to maintain positive physical and mental wellbeing.
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