❓ A parliamentary question addresses the suicide of a patient at Royal Perth Hospital and the circumstances surrounding her care in an open ward despite potential risk. The response indicates a comprehensive risk assessment was conducted, leading to the decision for voluntary admission to an open ward.
AnsweredQoN 400Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MENTAL HEALTH — SUICIDE OF ROYAL PERTH HOSPITAL PATIENT
The Sunday Times reported that a woman committed suicide at Royal Perth Hospital on Wednesday, 9 April 2008 and that her body was left hanging in a bathroom for eight hours before being discovered by another patient. (1) Was the patient assessed as being at risk to herself and/or to others? (2) If yes to (1), why was she being cared for in an open ward rather than in a secure mental health unit? Hon JON FORD
The Sunday Times reported that a woman committed suicide at Royal Perth Hospital on Wednesday, 9 April 2008 and that her body was left hanging in a bathroom for eight hours before being discovered by another patient. (1) Was the patient assessed as being at risk to herself and/or to others? (2) If yes to (1), why was she being cared for in an open ward rather than in a secure mental health unit? Hon JON FORD
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
(1) Was the patient assessed as being at risk to herself and/or to others? (2) If yes to (1), why was she being cared for in an open ward rather than in a secure mental health unit? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
(2) If yes to (1), why was she being cared for in an open ward rather than in a secure mental health unit? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
(1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
(1) Was the patient assessed as being at risk to herself and/or to others? (2) If yes to (1), why was she being cared for in an open ward rather than in a secure mental health unit? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
(2) If yes to (1), why was she being cared for in an open ward rather than in a secure mental health unit? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Helen Morton for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has supplied the following answer — (1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
(1)-(2) A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment of the patient by two psychiatrists concluded that a voluntary admission to an open ward was most appropriate for the patient—an admission that the patient requested. Although the patient was considered to be a risk to herself if discharged from hospital, she was assessed as not being a risk to others. Medical and nursing assessment of the patient during her inpatient stay did not reveal increased risk of self-harm.
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