ROYAL PERTH HOSPITAL — MENTAL HEALTH
EMERGENCY CENTRE
891. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's significant investment in mental health care services,
such as the new Mental Health Emergency Centre that was opened today at Royal
Perth Hospital. Can the minister outline to the house how this new emergency
centre will support those who experience an acute mental health episode, take pressure off existing emergency departments and
deliver on this government's commitment to putting patients first?
Mr R.H.
COOK replied:
It
is a sad reality that an increasing cohort of patients present in our emergency
departments with mental health issues and
that obviously produces complications for those providing care in the emergency
departments. I was very pleased to join not only the member for Mount
Lawley, but also Hon Alanna Clohesy, to open the new Mental Health Emergency
Centre at Royal Perth Hospital. It is a new $1.15 million emergency centre at
Royal Perth Hospital that honours a key election commitment by the McGowan
government to implement a mental health observation area at Royal Perth Hospital. The centre is located next to the hospital's
emergency department and is designed for people to stay for up to 72
hours. It includes eight treatment spaces, which is made up of six beds and two
chairs, and is staffed by specialised and
highly trained mental health professionals. This is an outstanding result in
resourcing our hospitals to make sure that they have the resources they
need to care for patients who present with mental health issues. This is a low-stimulus,
short-stay environment so that patients who present with mental health issues do not have to stay in the loud, bright
environment of an emergency department main area. They can go to this area
where they are secure and where other patients are not necessarily impacted by
those who present with a mental health issue. This is a great addition to our
emergency department services. I was absolutely delighted to open this centre,
which is right next to the urgent care clinic toxicology unit at Royal Perth
Hospital ED, which treats patients who
present with alcohol and other drug issues. It has been an outstanding success
and has taken the pressure off the main ED. It provides a specialised treatment
facility for those particular patients. Of course, this comes on top of the
other commitments for Royal Perth Hospital, including the $22.7 million upgrade
to the intensive care unit and the $9 million helipad upgrade, which
will further enhance Royal Perth Hospital's critical services and
patient care.
The
McGowan government continues to invest heavily in mental health services,
particularly mental health services in our emergency departments. We
recently announced a $1 million investment in the forward plan for a new mental
health emergency centre at Midland hospital, which we are looking forward to
open sometime in 2021. If we are to meet the
needs of Western Australian patients, particularly mental health patients, and
if we are to provide the resources for doctors and nurses working on the
front line in providing care to these patients, we need a government that is
prepared to invest in health, a government that will put in the resources and a
government that is prepared to put patients first, and that is what we have
with the McGowan Labor government.