❓ Hon Stephen Dawson's question seeks data on inpatient suicides in WA mental health services across four periods. The answer provides the requested data, but with caveats regarding reporting methods and confirmation of suicide as the cause of death.
AnsweredQoN 3712Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
For each of the following periods, how many mental health inpatients committed suicide: (a) 2012-2013; (b) 2013-2014; (c) 2014-2015; and (d) 2015 to date?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 December 2015
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health
Response time
43 days
For this answer, a "
mental health inpatient committed suicide"
has been defined as a 'death, due to suspected suicide, of a mental health patient whilst an inpatient of a mental health service'. This includes patients who are suspected to have completed suicide whilst they were on authorised leave or 'absent without leave (AWOL)' from the mental health service.
The following is the number of suspected inpatient completed suicides reported to the Chief Psychiatrist
1-4
.
(a) There were six (6) suspected inpatient completed suicides in 2012-13;
(b) There were less than five (<5) suspected inpatient completed suicides in 2013-14;
(c) There were less than five (<5) suspected inpatient completed suicides in 2014-15; and
(d) As of 31 October 2015, there have been less than five (<5) suspected inpatient completed suicides in 2015-16.
Data caveats:
1
The number of suspected suicides reflects those which have been reported to the Chief Psychiatrist.
2
Datix CIMS is used to report suicides to the Chief Psychiatrist from 2014-15 onwards, whilst paper- based reporting was used prior to this.
3
The cause of death has not been determined by the Coroner.
4
The 'intent' will remain unknown for some deaths e.g. those involving motor vehicles.
mental health inpatient committed suicide"
has been defined as a 'death, due to suspected suicide, of a mental health patient whilst an inpatient of a mental health service'. This includes patients who are suspected to have completed suicide whilst they were on authorised leave or 'absent without leave (AWOL)' from the mental health service.
The following is the number of suspected inpatient completed suicides reported to the Chief Psychiatrist
1-4
.
(a) There were six (6) suspected inpatient completed suicides in 2012-13;
(b) There were less than five (<5) suspected inpatient completed suicides in 2013-14;
(c) There were less than five (<5) suspected inpatient completed suicides in 2014-15; and
(d) As of 31 October 2015, there have been less than five (<5) suspected inpatient completed suicides in 2015-16.
Data caveats:
1
The number of suspected suicides reflects those which have been reported to the Chief Psychiatrist.
2
Datix CIMS is used to report suicides to the Chief Psychiatrist from 2014-15 onwards, whilst paper- based reporting was used prior to this.
3
The cause of death has not been determined by the Coroner.
4
The 'intent' will remain unknown for some deaths e.g. those involving motor vehicles.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.