❓ WA Police are gradually withdrawing from inter-hospital transfers of low-to-medium risk mental health patients, with area health services increasing their role. Legislative changes are planned to authorise other personnel to transport patients.
AnsweredQoN 321Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS — INTER-HOSPITAL TRANSFERS
(1) Is the minister aware that Western Australia Police have stated that they will cease providing inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients in the metropolitan area as of 31 March 2008? (2) Has this happened? (3) What arrangements have been put in place to replace the police-assisted transfers of mental health patients? (4) What further arrangements are still being considered? (5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY
(1) Is the minister aware that Western Australia Police have stated that they will cease providing inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients in the metropolitan area as of 31 March 2008? (2) Has this happened? (3) What arrangements have been put in place to replace the police-assisted transfers of mental health patients? (4) What further arrangements are still being considered? (5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(2) Has this happened? (3) What arrangements have been put in place to replace the police-assisted transfers of mental health patients? (4) What further arrangements are still being considered? (5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(3) What arrangements have been put in place to replace the police-assisted transfers of mental health patients? (4) What further arrangements are still being considered? (5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(4) What further arrangements are still being considered? (5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(2) Has this happened? (3) What arrangements have been put in place to replace the police-assisted transfers of mental health patients? (4) What further arrangements are still being considered? (5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(3) What arrangements have been put in place to replace the police-assisted transfers of mental health patients? (4) What further arrangements are still being considered? (5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(4) What further arrangements are still being considered? (5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(5) How many metropolitan inter-hospital transfers of mental health patients did the police assist with in 2007? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(1)-(2) Western Australia Police and area mental health services are working together to increase the Department of Health’s role in the provision of transport between hospitals for mental health patients where the risk is clinically assessed as medium to low. WA Police will continue to be involved in the provision of transport for high-risk mental health patients as necessary. (3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(3) Area health services already deliver inter-hospital transport services to mental health patients in the metropolitan area. Where risk is assessed as low to medium, mental health services will increase the number of transports accordingly. This will facilitate a gradual withdrawal of WA Police from metropolitan inter-hospital transports of mental health patients with low to medium risk. The Department of Health and WA Police transport protocols have been updated and a transport risk assessment tool has been implemented to assist in determining the degree of risk and the subsequent transport plan. The mental health division and WA Police continue to meet on a fortnightly basis at executive level to manage the transition. (4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(4) The draft Mental Health Amendment Bill 2008 encompasses the changes to the Mental Health Act 1996 to enable other persons—ambulance officers, security officers, assistants in nursing, mental health practitioners—to be authorised to transport mentally ill people. (5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
(5) The Department of Health does not routinely collect data on the number of transports in which the police are involved. This data is collected by WA Police.
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