❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding state-funded postnatal depression (PND) services, their availability, capacity, and screening processes. The response provides details on services, funding, and screening practices.
AnsweredQoN 8736Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to all post natal depression (PND) services funded by the State Government and provided free of charge to new mothers and ask:
(a) what PND services does the State Government currently provide;
(b) what PND services does the State Government currently contract out to the non-government sector;
(c) is the only in-patient residential PND service in the State based at King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH), or are there dedicated in-patient residential services for mothers experiencing PND, and if so where are they located;
(d) what is the maximum capacity for the in-patient PND service at KEMH at any given time;
(e) what is the average length of stay for women at this service;
(f) what is average waiting time for women to access the in-patient PND residential service at KEMH once they are referred;
(g) how many women are turned away from the in-patient PND residential service at KEMH due to capacity constraints;
(h) how many people are currently on the waiting list to access the in-patient residential PND service;
(i) is the Edinburgh survey the only diagnostic screening tool used by the Department of Health to determine whether or not they may be suffering PND;
(j) how many times, and at what intervals, does the Department of Health undertake the Edinburgh survey with women after the birth of a baby;
(k) is it true that the Edinburgh survey is normally only undertaken as part of general/regular recommended check-ups at birth, 6 weeks, 3–4 months, 8 months, 18 months and 3 years on the wellbeing and health of the baby, rather than as a stand-alone check-up focussing exclusively on the mental health of the new mother;
(l) considering the shortage of child health nurses, and reports that only nine per cent of mothers and children are receiving the 3 year check-up, what is being done to ensure late onset PND is still being accurately screened;
(m) what is the average waiting time for accessing outpatient services for PND at public hospitals, listed by hospital;
(n) what is the average number of counselling sessions with a psychologist and/or psychiatrist for a woman experiencing PND in the public hospital system; and
(o) what is the average cost per session of this treatment?
(a) what PND services does the State Government currently provide;
(b) what PND services does the State Government currently contract out to the non-government sector;
(c) is the only in-patient residential PND service in the State based at King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH), or are there dedicated in-patient residential services for mothers experiencing PND, and if so where are they located;
(d) what is the maximum capacity for the in-patient PND service at KEMH at any given time;
(e) what is the average length of stay for women at this service;
(f) what is average waiting time for women to access the in-patient PND residential service at KEMH once they are referred;
(g) how many women are turned away from the in-patient PND residential service at KEMH due to capacity constraints;
(h) how many people are currently on the waiting list to access the in-patient residential PND service;
(i) is the Edinburgh survey the only diagnostic screening tool used by the Department of Health to determine whether or not they may be suffering PND;
(j) how many times, and at what intervals, does the Department of Health undertake the Edinburgh survey with women after the birth of a baby;
(k) is it true that the Edinburgh survey is normally only undertaken as part of general/regular recommended check-ups at birth, 6 weeks, 3–4 months, 8 months, 18 months and 3 years on the wellbeing and health of the baby, rather than as a stand-alone check-up focussing exclusively on the mental health of the new mother;
(l) considering the shortage of child health nurses, and reports that only nine per cent of mothers and children are receiving the 3 year check-up, what is being done to ensure late onset PND is still being accurately screened;
(m) what is the average waiting time for accessing outpatient services for PND at public hospitals, listed by hospital;
(n) what is the average number of counselling sessions with a psychologist and/or psychiatrist for a woman experiencing PND in the public hospital system; and
(o) what is the average cost per session of this treatment?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
23 October 2012
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
27 days
(a)
· The WA Perinatal Mental Health Unit (WAPMHU) - service coordination, education, training and research.
· Mother and Baby Unit - inpatient unit.
· Department of Psychological Medicine - consultation and liaison service to patients of King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH).
· Child Birth and Mental Illness (CAMI) clinic - based at KEMH.
· Carnarvon Indigenous Perinatal Mental Health Service.
· Mental Health Services at maternity hospitals, Armadale, Joondalup and Peel.
· Public Community Mental Health Services (metropolitan and regional).
· "New Beginning" Post Natal Depression Support Group (Joondalup Mental Health).
· "Bouncing Back" Postnatal Depression support group, Albany.
The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) provide services consistent with the National Perinatal Depression Initiative in the Midwest, Goldfields, Wheatbelt and South West regions. These services include but are not limited to:
· Support health professionals across all services to deliver and/or coordinate services and provide specialist information and advice on perinatal depression and related disorders;
· Provide consultation and liaison for individuals and/or support groups, where indicated and possible, and in partnership with the WAPMHU;
· Raise awareness of perinatal depression in the community; and
· Encourage help seeking behaviours.
Women experiencing post natal depression can receive inpatient treatment from both general and specialist mental health hospital units in WACHS. These are located in Broome, Bunbury, Albany and Kalgoorlie. Women admitted to general hospitals can access mental health services provided by community mental health services as required, following referral from their treating medical practitioner.
(b) The Commonwealth through the National Perinatal Depression Initiative provides funding to a number of non-government agencies. The State Government provides funding for:
· The WAPMHU with Mental Health Commission funding is currently partnering with SJOG Health Services to employ a project officer to improve access to perinatal and infant mental health care for families in the Ellenbrook and greater Swan region.
· "From the Heart WA" volunteer peer support group.
(c) The Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) at KEMH is the only in-patient residential service for mothers experiencing Postnatal Depression and other acute mental health disorders in Western Australia.
(d) The MBU has a maximum capacity of 8 mothers and their babies.
(e) The average length of stay for women at this service is 19 days.
(f) The average waiting time from referral to admission to the MBU is 8 days.
(g) Women requiring admission are waitlisted and are prioritised for admission on a daily basis, depending on the clinical situation. While waiting for admission, the patient is either seen or contacted by the MBU community nurse or advised in cases of acute crisis to attend an Emergency Department.
(h) There are currently 2 women on the waiting list for admission to the MBU.
(i) The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is the only screening instrument used by the Department of Health to screen for possible PND.
(j) It is recommended that the EPDS is used at the 6-week follow-up interview and then repeated as clinically indicated.
Universal and routine EPDS screening is offered to all women in the antenatal period at KEMH in line with midwifery clinical guidelines and current practice (20 weeks and 36 weeks).
Child health nurses offer EPDS screening postnatally from 4-6 weeks, 3-4 months and 8 months. EPDS screening was introduced to child health nurse practice in 1997 and has since been embedded in policy guidelines across Western Australia since 2005.
EPDS screening is also offered by general practitioners who are involved with Shared Antenatal Care and in collaboration with the child health nurse postnatally.
(k) The EPDS is an instrument used to screen for possible PND in the mother. As mentioned in question (j), the EPDS can be used in the antenatal as well as the postnatal period. It can be delivered opportunistically and during treatment to measure improvement.
(l) Not applicable - PND is defined as a Mood Disorder within the first 12 months after delivery.
(m) The average waiting time for accessing outpatient services for PND at KEMH is less than 3 weeks.
(n) The number of consultations for a patient with PND at KEMH with a Psychologist and/or Psychiatrist varies from patient to patient depending on the nature and severity of the underlying Mental Health disorder.
(o) Average cost per session (i.e. 4 hours) Psychiatrist = $803.40
Average cost per session (i.e. 4 hours) Clinical Psychologist = $282.80
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
· The WA Perinatal Mental Health Unit (WAPMHU) - service coordination, education, training and research.
· Mother and Baby Unit - inpatient unit.
· Department of Psychological Medicine - consultation and liaison service to patients of King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH).
· Child Birth and Mental Illness (CAMI) clinic - based at KEMH.
· Carnarvon Indigenous Perinatal Mental Health Service.
· Mental Health Services at maternity hospitals, Armadale, Joondalup and Peel.
· Public Community Mental Health Services (metropolitan and regional).
· "New Beginning" Post Natal Depression Support Group (Joondalup Mental Health).
· "Bouncing Back" Postnatal Depression support group, Albany.
The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) provide services consistent with the National Perinatal Depression Initiative in the Midwest, Goldfields, Wheatbelt and South West regions. These services include but are not limited to:
· Support health professionals across all services to deliver and/or coordinate services and provide specialist information and advice on perinatal depression and related disorders;
· Provide consultation and liaison for individuals and/or support groups, where indicated and possible, and in partnership with the WAPMHU;
· Raise awareness of perinatal depression in the community; and
· Encourage help seeking behaviours.
Women experiencing post natal depression can receive inpatient treatment from both general and specialist mental health hospital units in WACHS. These are located in Broome, Bunbury, Albany and Kalgoorlie. Women admitted to general hospitals can access mental health services provided by community mental health services as required, following referral from their treating medical practitioner.
(b) The Commonwealth through the National Perinatal Depression Initiative provides funding to a number of non-government agencies. The State Government provides funding for:
· The WAPMHU with Mental Health Commission funding is currently partnering with SJOG Health Services to employ a project officer to improve access to perinatal and infant mental health care for families in the Ellenbrook and greater Swan region.
· "From the Heart WA" volunteer peer support group.
(c) The Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) at KEMH is the only in-patient residential service for mothers experiencing Postnatal Depression and other acute mental health disorders in Western Australia.
(d) The MBU has a maximum capacity of 8 mothers and their babies.
(e) The average length of stay for women at this service is 19 days.
(f) The average waiting time from referral to admission to the MBU is 8 days.
(g) Women requiring admission are waitlisted and are prioritised for admission on a daily basis, depending on the clinical situation. While waiting for admission, the patient is either seen or contacted by the MBU community nurse or advised in cases of acute crisis to attend an Emergency Department.
(h) There are currently 2 women on the waiting list for admission to the MBU.
(i) The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is the only screening instrument used by the Department of Health to screen for possible PND.
(j) It is recommended that the EPDS is used at the 6-week follow-up interview and then repeated as clinically indicated.
Universal and routine EPDS screening is offered to all women in the antenatal period at KEMH in line with midwifery clinical guidelines and current practice (20 weeks and 36 weeks).
Child health nurses offer EPDS screening postnatally from 4-6 weeks, 3-4 months and 8 months. EPDS screening was introduced to child health nurse practice in 1997 and has since been embedded in policy guidelines across Western Australia since 2005.
EPDS screening is also offered by general practitioners who are involved with Shared Antenatal Care and in collaboration with the child health nurse postnatally.
(k) The EPDS is an instrument used to screen for possible PND in the mother. As mentioned in question (j), the EPDS can be used in the antenatal as well as the postnatal period. It can be delivered opportunistically and during treatment to measure improvement.
(l) Not applicable - PND is defined as a Mood Disorder within the first 12 months after delivery.
(m) The average waiting time for accessing outpatient services for PND at KEMH is less than 3 weeks.
(n) The number of consultations for a patient with PND at KEMH with a Psychologist and/or Psychiatrist varies from patient to patient depending on the nature and severity of the underlying Mental Health disorder.
(o) Average cost per session (i.e. 4 hours) Psychiatrist = $803.40
Average cost per session (i.e. 4 hours) Clinical Psychologist = $282.80
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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