❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the availability, occupancy, and monitoring of non-acute mental health beds in Western Australia, particularly concerning older persons and those with dementia. The response provides data on bed numbers, occupancy rates, and explains the current data collection practices.
AnsweredQoN 2535Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to question on notice No. 1746 relating to non-acute beds, and I ask: (a) for each of the beds listed in the answer to questions (a) and (b), how many of the beds listed are for older persons and people with dementia; (b) where are each of the 170 non-acute beds located; (c) what is the current number of available beds per 100,000 people based on the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics, Estimated Resident Population figures for Western Australia; (d) what was the number of available beds, by region, for each of the past five years based the relevant Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population figures for Western Australia; (e) what was the average occupancy rate of an available bed, by region, for each of the past five years; (f) in regard to the answer provided to question (e) has Western Australia Health ever had a data collection system to monitor wait times for public mental health inpatient beds; (g) if yes to (f), when were changes made to reporting; and (h) if no to (f), why does Western Australia Health not maintain a data collection system to monitor wait times for public mental health inpatient beds?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 March 2015
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health
Response time
29 days
(a) Within bed numbers provided in the answer to question on notice No. 1746 (a) and (b) (sourced from centrally collected bed numbers primarily via the
Bedstate
application), there were no non-acute specialised mental health inpatient beds specifically for older persons.
It is not possible to determine from
BedState
, the primary source for public bed availability and occupancy, whether a bed is being occupied by a patient diagnosed with dementia.
(b) The 170 beds are located as follows:
Location
Number of Beds
Armadale Hospital
8
Hampton Road Community Residential
10
Bentley Health Service
12
Graylands Hospital
140
Total
170
(c) The current number of available non acute beds per 100,000 people is 7.
1
(d) The number of available non-acute beds per 100,000 people
2
for each of the past five years was as follows:
2009/10: 7
2010/11: 7
2011/12: 8
2012/13: 8
2013/14: 7
(e) The average occupancy rate of an available non-acute bed, by region, for each of the past five years was as follows:
North Metro Health Service: 2009/10: 88 per cent
2010/11: 87 per cent
2011/12: 87 per cent
2012/13: 83 per cent
2013/14: 82 per cent
South Metro Health Service: 2009/10: 83 per cent
2010/11: 73 per cent
2011/12: 76 per cent
2012/13: 75 per cent
2013/14: 76 per cent
WA Country Health Service: Not applicable.
Child and Adolescent Health Service: Not applicable.
f) No.
3
(g) Not applicable
(h) The Department of Health monitors and allocates beds at a Health Service level based on clinical need. From a clinical point of view, people are placed in acute beds as quickly as possible and there are very few elective mental health admissions.
Changes to data monitoring systems require significant investment of resources and funding to enable technical changes to Patient Administration Systems and the Mental Health Clinical Information System; state-wide data collections; and education and training. Any proposal to change data collection systems would need to be assessed by appropriate business areas, including clinical areas, within the Department of Health and the Health Services.
1
Figures are based on Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population for WA as at 30 June 2014.
2
Population figures are sourced from Department of Health Rates Calculator which uses available figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics as at 30 June at the beginning of the period.
3 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) collects point prevalence data about numbers of people under the age of 18 waiting to access public mental health beds (not waiting times).
Bedstate
application), there were no non-acute specialised mental health inpatient beds specifically for older persons.
It is not possible to determine from
BedState
, the primary source for public bed availability and occupancy, whether a bed is being occupied by a patient diagnosed with dementia.
(b) The 170 beds are located as follows:
Location
Number of Beds
Armadale Hospital
8
Hampton Road Community Residential
10
Bentley Health Service
12
Graylands Hospital
140
Total
170
(c) The current number of available non acute beds per 100,000 people is 7.
1
(d) The number of available non-acute beds per 100,000 people
2
for each of the past five years was as follows:
2009/10: 7
2010/11: 7
2011/12: 8
2012/13: 8
2013/14: 7
(e) The average occupancy rate of an available non-acute bed, by region, for each of the past five years was as follows:
North Metro Health Service: 2009/10: 88 per cent
2010/11: 87 per cent
2011/12: 87 per cent
2012/13: 83 per cent
2013/14: 82 per cent
South Metro Health Service: 2009/10: 83 per cent
2010/11: 73 per cent
2011/12: 76 per cent
2012/13: 75 per cent
2013/14: 76 per cent
WA Country Health Service: Not applicable.
Child and Adolescent Health Service: Not applicable.
f) No.
3
(g) Not applicable
(h) The Department of Health monitors and allocates beds at a Health Service level based on clinical need. From a clinical point of view, people are placed in acute beds as quickly as possible and there are very few elective mental health admissions.
Changes to data monitoring systems require significant investment of resources and funding to enable technical changes to Patient Administration Systems and the Mental Health Clinical Information System; state-wide data collections; and education and training. Any proposal to change data collection systems would need to be assessed by appropriate business areas, including clinical areas, within the Department of Health and the Health Services.
1
Figures are based on Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population for WA as at 30 June 2014.
2
Population figures are sourced from Department of Health Rates Calculator which uses available figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics as at 30 June at the beginning of the period.
3 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) collects point prevalence data about numbers of people under the age of 18 waiting to access public mental health beds (not waiting times).
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