❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health about the timeline for safety upgrades to Ward 5A at Perth Children's Hospital following a sexual safety breach. The Minister defends the government's progress, citing implemented recommendations and ongoing work, while accusing the opposition of being misleading.
AnsweredQoN 777Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL — MENTAL HEALTH
UNIT — SEXUAL SAFETY BREACHES
777. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I
have a supplementary question. Given three reviews have been undertaken since
Florence was allegedly assaulted, when will the safety upgrades be
completed for ward 5A?
UNIT — SEXUAL SAFETY BREACHES
777. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I
have a supplementary question. Given three reviews have been undertaken since
Florence was allegedly assaulted, when will the safety upgrades be
completed for ward 5A?
AnswerView source ↗
The opposition has now moved from
there being a couple of internal investigations to acknowledging that there
have been three significant reviews, so that is progress. They are actually
listening.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cottesloe, you did not ask the question. I suggest you do not interject.
Ms A. SANDERSON : Ignorance is
all we get from the opposition, even on these really important issues. Members
opposite froth at the mouth at the possibility of criticising the government,
but forget that there are actually real people behind these incidents, and they
are discarded as they move on to the next issue. It is really distasteful.
The recommendations from the root
cause analysis have all been implemented. They are done. The vast majority of
the recommendations from the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist have been
implemented. We are working through the infrastructure upgrades. As I have
outlined, we cannot close 20 beds, because to do those upgrades would require
an immediate closure of the ward.
Ms L. Mettam : But when? It's
been nearly two years.
Ms A. SANDERSON : No; you are wrong.
Ms L. Mettam : Since the
incident.
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, we had
the report at the end of last year. We have not had those recommendations for
two years; what the member just said is incorrect.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms A. SANDERSON : Again, that
is deliberately misleading. We cannot close 20 beds, because those beds are
needed. They are the only beds in the state that support children and
adolescents in acute psychiatric distress.
A
plan around how we are going to temporarily relocate those beds or stage the
works is currently under consideration , and we are doing that as quickly
as possible, but a multitude of work has been done on the ward already to
increase its safety. It is not just about infrastructure; it is the model of
care, risk assessment, handover processes and mix of staff—all those
have changed over the last two years. A huge amount of work has gone on.
I refer to the two other outstanding
issues. My understanding is that the working with families framework is very
shortly to be signed off, because it needs to be consulted on, and the model of
care is also very shortly to be signed off.
These are being done appropriately with appropriate steps. Developing models of
care should usually take two to three years if it is done properly and
thoroughly, and this has been done in less than a year. This is actually very
good progress in this instance.
The SPEAKER : That concludes
question time.
there being a couple of internal investigations to acknowledging that there
have been three significant reviews, so that is progress. They are actually
listening.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cottesloe, you did not ask the question. I suggest you do not interject.
Ms A. SANDERSON : Ignorance is
all we get from the opposition, even on these really important issues. Members
opposite froth at the mouth at the possibility of criticising the government,
but forget that there are actually real people behind these incidents, and they
are discarded as they move on to the next issue. It is really distasteful.
The recommendations from the root
cause analysis have all been implemented. They are done. The vast majority of
the recommendations from the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist have been
implemented. We are working through the infrastructure upgrades. As I have
outlined, we cannot close 20 beds, because to do those upgrades would require
an immediate closure of the ward.
Ms L. Mettam : But when? It's
been nearly two years.
Ms A. SANDERSON : No; you are wrong.
Ms L. Mettam : Since the
incident.
Ms A. SANDERSON : No, we had
the report at the end of last year. We have not had those recommendations for
two years; what the member just said is incorrect.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms A. SANDERSON : Again, that
is deliberately misleading. We cannot close 20 beds, because those beds are
needed. They are the only beds in the state that support children and
adolescents in acute psychiatric distress.
A
plan around how we are going to temporarily relocate those beds or stage the
works is currently under consideration , and we are doing that as quickly
as possible, but a multitude of work has been done on the ward already to
increase its safety. It is not just about infrastructure; it is the model of
care, risk assessment, handover processes and mix of staff—all those
have changed over the last two years. A huge amount of work has gone on.
I refer to the two other outstanding
issues. My understanding is that the working with families framework is very
shortly to be signed off, because it needs to be consulted on, and the model of
care is also very shortly to be signed off.
These are being done appropriately with appropriate steps. Developing models of
care should usually take two to three years if it is done properly and
thoroughly, and this has been done in less than a year. This is actually very
good progress in this instance.
The SPEAKER : That concludes
question time.
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