❓ A parliamentary question scrutinises the Health Minister's involvement in a response by the Executive Director of Mental Health to a newspaper article criticising delays in mental health accommodation, with the response revealing the questioning member's role in those delays.
AnsweredQoN 5569Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Can the Minister confirm that Dr Patchett has been overseas for several weeks recently?
(2) If yes to (1), during what time period was Dr Patchett gone from Western Australia?
(3) Who authored the letter to the
Stirling Times
signed by Dr Patchett?
(4) How and when was Dr Patchett made aware of the article in the
Stirling Times
published on 28 August 2007, page three, entitled, ‘Jim McGinty breaks word’?
(5) How and when was Dr Patchett made aware of the letter to the editor of the
Stirling Times
published on 25 September 2007?
(6) Do formal or informal policies of the Department of Health permit an employee or staff member or any other person to provide an official written statement in the name of the Executive Director, Mental Health division, Department of Health?
(7) If yes to (6), what are those policies?
(8) If no to (6), can the Minister assure the West Australian public that any and all official written statements or responses by executives of the Department of Health are in fact authored and sanctioned by the executives to whom the statements or responses are attributed?
(9) Was Dr Patchett encouraged or advised either directly or indirectly by the Minister or the Minister’s office or staff to respond to the article in the
Stirling Times
entitled ‘Jim McGinty breaks word’?
(10) Was there any contact between the Minister and/or the Minister’s office/staff with Dr Patchett, and/or Dr Patchett’s office/staff relative to the article in the
Stirling Times
or Dr Patchett’s response thereto?
(11) If yes to (10), what specifically was the nature of that contact?
(2) If yes to (1), during what time period was Dr Patchett gone from Western Australia?
(3) Who authored the letter to the
Stirling Times
signed by Dr Patchett?
(4) How and when was Dr Patchett made aware of the article in the
Stirling Times
published on 28 August 2007, page three, entitled, ‘Jim McGinty breaks word’?
(5) How and when was Dr Patchett made aware of the letter to the editor of the
Stirling Times
published on 25 September 2007?
(6) Do formal or informal policies of the Department of Health permit an employee or staff member or any other person to provide an official written statement in the name of the Executive Director, Mental Health division, Department of Health?
(7) If yes to (6), what are those policies?
(8) If no to (6), can the Minister assure the West Australian public that any and all official written statements or responses by executives of the Department of Health are in fact authored and sanctioned by the executives to whom the statements or responses are attributed?
(9) Was Dr Patchett encouraged or advised either directly or indirectly by the Minister or the Minister’s office or staff to respond to the article in the
Stirling Times
entitled ‘Jim McGinty breaks word’?
(10) Was there any contact between the Minister and/or the Minister’s office/staff with Dr Patchett, and/or Dr Patchett’s office/staff relative to the article in the
Stirling Times
or Dr Patchett’s response thereto?
(11) If yes to (10), what specifically was the nature of that contact?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 November 2007
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection representing the Minister for Health
Response time
34 days
In response to an article published in the Stirling Times on 28 August 2007, entitled 'Jim McGinty Breaks Word', Dr Steve Patchett, Executive Director Mental Health, wrote to the editor of the Stirling Times. Dr Patchett's letter addressed the Member's assertion that significant delays had occurred to the construction of accommodation for people with a mental illness.
The Member herself has been one of the key delaying factors, and has undertaken a concerted campaign including numerous petitions, comments in the media, and activating community opposition to the new supported accommodation places.
(1) Yes.
(2) Dr Steve Patchett was on leave from 12 September 2007 to 24 October 2007.
(3) Dr Steve Patchett authored the letter and sent it on 31 August 2007.
(4) The Mental Health Division in the Department of Health receives daily media monitoring clips.
(5) Dr Patchett was made aware that his letter was published upon his return from leave.
(6) - (7) An employee or staff member or any other persons is not permitted to provide an official written statement in the name of the Executive Director, Mental Health Division, Department of Health (DOH), unless authorised by the Executive Director.
(8) Yes.
(9) No.
(10) Yes.
(11) As a matter of protocol, the Minister's office was e-mailed a copy of Dr Steve Patchett's letter.
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The Member herself has been one of the key delaying factors, and has undertaken a concerted campaign including numerous petitions, comments in the media, and activating community opposition to the new supported accommodation places.
(1) Yes.
(2) Dr Steve Patchett was on leave from 12 September 2007 to 24 October 2007.
(3) Dr Steve Patchett authored the letter and sent it on 31 August 2007.
(4) The Mental Health Division in the Department of Health receives daily media monitoring clips.
(5) Dr Patchett was made aware that his letter was published upon his return from leave.
(6) - (7) An employee or staff member or any other persons is not permitted to provide an official written statement in the name of the Executive Director, Mental Health Division, Department of Health (DOH), unless authorised by the Executive Director.
(8) Yes.
(9) No.
(10) Yes.
(11) As a matter of protocol, the Minister's office was e-mailed a copy of Dr Steve Patchett's letter.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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