Page 968 - Week 03 - Thursday, 10 March 2016

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Importantly—and I am particularly pleased about these reforms that are now taking effect—there is legal recognition of advance consent directions and advance agreements. These allow people with mental illness or mental disorder to specify in advance, when they are well—when they are not in the middle of an acute episode—to determine how they will be managed, how they will be supported and how they will be cared for when or if they experience an acute illness episode. This is very important. (Time expired.)

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.

MRS JONES: Minister, regarding mental health services, how is the government protecting nurses and clients in the adult mental health unit from physical attack, and why are police taking days to come when they are called because of attacks on patients?

MR CORBELL: The government takes the issue of safety for both staff and patients in our adult mental health unit very seriously. We have undertaken a very extensive review of the mechanisms and procedures that are in place to ensure that patients and staff are managed appropriately and that safety is a key priority. Obviously, in a secure adult mental health unit there is the potential for violence. That must be minimised, and the environment that we have created at the adult mental health unit has been designed to optimise and reduce the risks and opportunities for violence.

Mrs Jones interjecting—

MR CORBELL: In relation to police attendance, obviously police attendance is determined on a case-by-case basis—

Mrs Jones interjecting—

MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mrs Jones.

MR CORBELL: If Mrs Jones wants to bring the specifics of the matter she is referring to to my attention, I am very willing to look into it, but you need to give me the details, Mrs Jones.

Mrs Jones interjecting—

MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mrs Jones. This is not—

Mrs Jones interjecting—

MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Jones—

MR CORBELL: I would be very happy to investigate the matter further. But if this is a matter of serious concern to Mrs Jones—

Mrs Jones interjecting—

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