❓ Hon. Stephen Dawson questions the Minister for Mental Health regarding the evaluation of community action plans for suicide prevention and responds to criticism of the state's suicide prevention strategy.
AnsweredQoN 1132Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGY
1132. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the Minister
for Mental Health:
I refer to the minister's response to question
without notice 711, in which she states —
An evaluation of community action
plans by Edith Cowan University is currently being finalised to identify
strengths and areas for improvement.
(1) On what
date was the ECU report commissioned by Centrecare provided to the Mental
Health Commission?
(2) Has the minister received a copy of ECU's
evaluation report of the community action plans?
(3) If yes to (2), will the minister table a copy of the
evaluation report?
(4) If no to
(2), what is the reason for the long delay in the commission presenting this
report to the minister for review?
(5) How does
the minister respond to the recent comments of the AMA president, Dr Michael
Gannon, in relation to the state suicide prevention strategy, when he said ''by
any measure it's failed''?
1132. Hon STEPHEN DAWSON to the Minister
for Mental Health:
I refer to the minister's response to question
without notice 711, in which she states —
An evaluation of community action
plans by Edith Cowan University is currently being finalised to identify
strengths and areas for improvement.
(1) On what
date was the ECU report commissioned by Centrecare provided to the Mental
Health Commission?
(2) Has the minister received a copy of ECU's
evaluation report of the community action plans?
(3) If yes to (2), will the minister table a copy of the
evaluation report?
(4) If no to
(2), what is the reason for the long delay in the commission presenting this
report to the minister for review?
(5) How does
the minister respond to the recent comments of the AMA president, Dr Michael
Gannon, in relation to the state suicide prevention strategy, when he said ''by
any measure it's failed''?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of the question.
(1) The Mental
Health Commission has advised me that the report was provided to the commission
prior to the end of Centrecare's contract on 30 June 2014, as per
Centrecare's contractual requirements.
(2) No; however, a summary of the report was provided to my
office on 3 October 2014.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) The
Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention is currently considering the
recommendations from the report and will be providing me with formal advice.
(5) The
Auditor General's findings acknowledged that communities and
organisations have benefited from suicide prevention activities funded by the
Western Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy 2009–2013. The strategy
achieved considerable community engagement with 45 community action plans in
over 255 locations across Western Australia, and more than 260 agencies
pledging to promote suicide prevention in their workplace. Local suicide
prevention activities and training continues to be delivered to a range of
community groups and high-risk groups, including men and women in regional
areas, young people, homeless people and Aboriginal communities. The National
Coalition for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization have
recently highlighted the important role of general practitioners and primary
care in providing suicide risk assessment, early intervention and postvention
support. I encourage the commonwealth government and the AMA to do more in
these areas to adequately support Western Australians.
(1) The Mental
Health Commission has advised me that the report was provided to the commission
prior to the end of Centrecare's contract on 30 June 2014, as per
Centrecare's contractual requirements.
(2) No; however, a summary of the report was provided to my
office on 3 October 2014.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) The
Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention is currently considering the
recommendations from the report and will be providing me with formal advice.
(5) The
Auditor General's findings acknowledged that communities and
organisations have benefited from suicide prevention activities funded by the
Western Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy 2009–2013. The strategy
achieved considerable community engagement with 45 community action plans in
over 255 locations across Western Australia, and more than 260 agencies
pledging to promote suicide prevention in their workplace. Local suicide
prevention activities and training continues to be delivered to a range of
community groups and high-risk groups, including men and women in regional
areas, young people, homeless people and Aboriginal communities. The National
Coalition for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization have
recently highlighted the important role of general practitioners and primary
care in providing suicide risk assessment, early intervention and postvention
support. I encourage the commonwealth government and the AMA to do more in
these areas to adequately support Western Australians.
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