Page 59 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 12 February 2019
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as measured under the report on government services. That is because some people return interstate and they are not followed up by ACT mental health. Others have a different care plan. So there are a range of factors there as well.
Mental health—patient follow-up
MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Minister for Mental Health. On 9 August last year, several MLAs were contacted by a parent of a person with a mental illness who had been discharged from the adult mental health unit on to the street. I raised this issue with you on 9 August. Minister, how common is it for people to be discharged from the mental health unit or from the accident and emergency part of the mental health unit on to the street?
MR RATTENBURY: I am aware of circumstances like that being brought to my and other members’ attention. That is clearly not the best possible outcome for people. As is always the case with these matters, and particularly those that are specifically drawn to my personal attention, it is worth drilling into the detailed circumstances of each case. Often there are complexities that speak to the circumstances. But it is my view that people should not be discharged like that.
Some people do not have or do not provide external points of contact, next of kin or similar. Some people, as adults, are free to go when they choose. They are free to leave and they are free to specify that they do not want anybody else contacted. I am not saying that this is the case in the example that Mrs Dunne has identified but there is a range of circumstances in which people leave the hospital. But I think it is a far better case that people should leave with the support of a carer, a friend or similar.
I am also in active discussions with ACT Health about what information should be provided to those carers and supporters. There are challenges under the privacy rules where, again, adults who are in the mental health system can decline to share information with others. I think that that can, in cases, produce unsatisfactory outcomes for the consumer. We are looking at options as to how to find the right balance between the right to privacy for an adult and the best possible outcomes for an individual in terms of their ongoing care.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, taking into account the things that you have said in your answer and in previous answers, what follow-up is done in the specific cases where adults are discharged from mental health units who do not have appropriate accommodation?
MR RATTENBURY: As I touched on earlier, there is an indicator in the report on government services about the percentage of people followed up within seven days with a follow-up phone call and similar. But, as Mrs Dunne would appreciate, it does vary in some circumstances. Some people will be referred, for example, to a community service provider. Others will be referred to one of the ACT community health centres in Belconnen, Tuggeranong, Woden et cetera. There will be a range of responses for people.
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