Page 839 - Week 03 - Thursday, 2 April 2020

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and they were not clinically suitable for accommodation in other hospital wards during the periods 2018-19 and 2019-20 to the date in which this question was published on the Questions on Notice Paper; if so, how many (a) instances were there in each period and (b) patients were involved in each instance.

(2) In these circumstances, what assessment is made of a patient to determine whether they are clinically suitable for accommodation at a step-up step-down facility.

(3) In these circumstances, were there instances of the operators of step-up step-down facilities rejecting patient referrals on the basis that they had assessed the patient as being unsuitable for accommodation at their facility; if so, (a) how many patient referrals were rejected in each period and (b) what alternative accommodation arrangements were made.

Mr Rattenbury: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) There have been no instances of people being accommodated at a Step-up Step-down (SUSD) facility when the Adult Mental Health Unit (AMHU) could not accommodate them.

(2) See response to question 1.

(3) See response to question 1.

Mental health—services
(Question No 2900)

Mrs Dunne asked the Minister for Mental Health, upon notice, on 14 February 2020:

(1) In relation to the answer to question on notice No 2845, when can mental health patients expect to see (a) more standardisation of treatment pathways and (b) system navigators to provide on-the-ground support and assistance, to make the mental health system less daunting, complex and confusing.

(2) If those services referred to in part (1) are in place already, why are people suffering mental health conditions still “giving up” trying to navigate the system or seeking treatment interstate.

Mr Rattenbury: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) (a) Mental health service system improvements, including standardisation of care pathways, are an ongoing process. The mental health system is broader than public mental health services and includes community agency providers, primary care and private sector health professionals amongst others. Hence, any approaches to standardise pathways or improve service navigation require a cross-sector approach. For example, this is reflected in the Framework for the ACT Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, which has specific focus on improving integration between services across the sector.

The Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan recognises that across the nation there is a need for better integration of services, and it commits state and territory governments to work with Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and Local


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