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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Tuesday, 25 May 2004) . . Page.. 2240 ..

(3) The aim of this funding was to provide an integrated comprehensive health service across all custodial facilities. In particular, the 2002-03 budget allocation was for the provision of health services to detainees accommodated at the newly opened remand centre at Symonston.

The Corrections Health Program currently provides an integrated health services across all sites (Belconnen and Symonston), with a clinical record system for adult and youth detainees and referral to a community based services for follow-up or further treatment following release from custody.

In 2001-02 and 2002-03, the Corrections Health Program also received budget from the Department of Justice and Community Safety to employ an alcohol and drug Case Manager and a registered nurse (level 3) who also had an on site team leader role for health staff. Funding for these positions ceased at the end of 2002-03 year, leaving the health service with an unexpected reduction in budget for nursing positions.

As intended the budget allocation in 2002-03 has enabled the provision of both mental health and general health service delivery at Symonston, however the majority of the resources allocated to the Corrections Health Program continue to be allocated to provision of services at Belconnen Remand Centre

The rationale for the majority of current resources being provided to Belconnen Remand Centre includes both the actual number of detainees at each site and the service requirement at each site. These two issues are inter-related, however have specific considerations for the provision of services.

The service requirement at the Belconnen centre is greater than at the Symonston or Quamby Centres with Belconnen Remand Centre having more than twice the number of detainees housed (approximately 56 bed capacity) compared to the Symonston and Quamby facilities (less than 30 beds at each site).

For the Adult Remand Centres, the current budget provides for one nurse to be on duty from 8.00 am to 4.30 pm and one nurse to be on duty from 10.00 am to 6.30 pm (18.30 hrs) each weekday and one nurse at each site on weekends, with three mental health officers available across the two sites and the Court cells.

For Quamby Youth Detention Centre, the budget allows for one nurse on duty Monday to Friday and an on-call nursing service at weekends (to provide assessments for youth admitted over the weekend) and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Officers to be available during business hours.

For the adult centres, the budget also allows for General Practice Clinics (3 sessions at Belconnen Remand Centre and 1 session at Symonston Temporary Remand Centre), a Women’s Health Medical Officer (1 x session fortnightly) and a Specialist Aboriginal Health Medical Clinic (1 x session fortnightly). At Quamby there is a weekly paediatric session on site with an on-call General Practitioner service. All facilities are serviced by an after hours medical services from within budget.

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