October 30, 2018 Mental Health Code Yellow a further sign of a system under strain Shadow Minister for Mental Health Sean L’Estrange has called on the McGowan Government to provide the necessary front-line services for people suffering a mental illness. WA Today journalist Daile Cross reported: “Perth’s mental health system was under such stress last week that a ‘code yellow’ was called, reflecting an internal emergency relating to overcrowding and the lack of mental health beds in the system to accept patients who had presented at an emergency department.” “Emergency Departments are not suitable places for mental health patients to wait for a bed; the lights, noises and the busy nature of EDs make it a stressful environment, for many mental health patients,” Mental Health Shadow Minister Sean L’Estrange said. “It is unacceptable that a mental health patient was reported as waiting 60 hours in an ED while being restrained to their bed. “While mental health groups recognise the importance of funding services for the patients who have become acutely unwell, they are concerned the Labor Government is not spending enough on long-term community recovery support programs. “The Minister’s 2017-18 Mental Health Commission’s prevention budget accounted for 2.3 per cent of its total budget and the Minister cut this in 2018-19 to just 1.9 per cent, falling well short of community expectations. “Last week’s code yellow clearly shows our mental health system is under strain and in need of government support. “The McGowan Government came into government with a pledge to put patients first. This code yellow result is a clear indication that they have not taken that pledge seriously. “I call on Mental Health Minister Roger Cook to support and protect patients suffering mental illness by immediately addressing the shortage of mental health beds in our hospital system and to also allocate the necessary funding to community based mental health recovery support programs.” Ends |
