Hon Helen Morton questions the Minister for Health regarding the transfer of an at-risk patient from Swan District Hospital to Bentley Hospital, focusing on the appropriateness of the transfer method and subsequent lack of policy changes. The response was delayed.

AnsweredQoN 490Legislative Council
Asked
21 June 2006
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

AT-RISK PATIENT - TRANSFER
I refer to the situation in which a man was assessed in the emergency department of Swan District Hospital on 9 January as being at risk of harm to himself and others but had to be transferred to Bentley Hospital and jumped out of a taxi en route. (1) Why could the man not be admitted to the Swan District Hospital given that he was assessed as being at risk to himself and others? (2) Why was it not considered preferable that the transfer be undertaken by ambulance or with a mental health worker escort? (3) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the decision to transfer the patient and the means of transport? (4) If no, who is deemed responsible? (5) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the consequences of the decision? (6) If no, who is deemed responsible for the consequences of the decision? (7) What policy changes have taken place to ensure that a situation such as this never happens again? Hon KATE DOUST

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
(1) Why could the man not be admitted to the Swan District Hospital given that he was assessed as being at risk to himself and others? (2) Why was it not considered preferable that the transfer be undertaken by ambulance or with a mental health worker escort? (3) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the decision to transfer the patient and the means of transport? (4) If no, who is deemed responsible? (5) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the consequences of the decision? (6) If no, who is deemed responsible for the consequences of the decision? (7) What policy changes have taken place to ensure that a situation such as this never happens again? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
(2) Why was it not considered preferable that the transfer be undertaken by ambulance or with a mental health worker escort? (3) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the decision to transfer the patient and the means of transport? (4) If no, who is deemed responsible? (5) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the consequences of the decision? (6) If no, who is deemed responsible for the consequences of the decision? (7) What policy changes have taken place to ensure that a situation such as this never happens again? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
(3) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the decision to transfer the patient and the means of transport? (4) If no, who is deemed responsible? (5) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the consequences of the decision? (6) If no, who is deemed responsible for the consequences of the decision? (7) What policy changes have taken place to ensure that a situation such as this never happens again? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
(4) If no, who is deemed responsible? (5) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the consequences of the decision? (6) If no, who is deemed responsible for the consequences of the decision? (7) What policy changes have taken place to ensure that a situation such as this never happens again? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
(5) Will the minister, as the Metropolitan Health Service Board, accept responsibility for the consequences of the decision? (6) If no, who is deemed responsible for the consequences of the decision? (7) What policy changes have taken place to ensure that a situation such as this never happens again? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
(6) If no, who is deemed responsible for the consequences of the decision? (7) What policy changes have taken place to ensure that a situation such as this never happens again? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
(7) What policy changes have taken place to ensure that a situation such as this never happens again? Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
Hon KATE DOUST replied: On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.
On behalf of the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health, unfortunately I do not have a response for that question at this time. Hopefully it will arrive before the end of question time.

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