Page 3558 - Week 09 - Thursday, 23 August 2018
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ACT Corrective Services and ACT Health was not found to have contributed to his death. I note that the findings did identify systemic issues that are being addressed, some of which were also identified through the Health Services Commissioner’s review and the Moss review.
The government response to both of these reports and to the Moss review provides strong assurance to the community that the government is working to improve our practices and operations to ensure the provision of appropriate care and services to detainees in the AMC. Both Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services and ACT Corrective Services are always seeking to improve the care that is provided in the AMC. Staff are dedicated to providing the best care possible to people in the AMC, some of whom are at the most vulnerable point in their lives.
Significant work has been undertaken since the tragic death of Mr Freeman in May 2016, largely as a result of the Moss review, which preceded Coroner Cook’s inquest and the Health Commissioner’s review. Both the reports from the Coroner and the Health Services Commissioner raised similar themes and made similar recommendations to the Moss review, meaning that work on improvements was well underway before they were each presented.
Most significantly, ACT Health has undertaken substantial work concerning the provision of the opioid replacement therapy program at the AMC. Changes have included developing and implementing new clinical procedures; reducing the starting dose of methadone; formally notifying ACT Corrective Services when a detainee commenced ORT; and the use of idose machines, which reduce the risk of identification or dosage errors.
Further detail of the recommendations and actions taken can be seen in the full ACT government responses that I am tabling today.
In recognition of the fact that a significant proportion of detainees in the AMC are Aboriginals and/or Torres Strait Islanders, the integration of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services into the AMC is an important step towards ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees, and others if they wish, can access holistic and culturally appropriate health services.
Winnunga have been present at the AMC in the women’s area since November 2017. Since last month, work has commenced on the implementation of the Winnunga health services more broadly at the AMC. A commissioning working group is overseeing the establishment phase, and staff from Winnunga are now at the AMC, developing protocols for the delivery of healthcare services to detainees.
The ACT government is committed to ensuring that our corrections and justice health systems operate as effectively as possible and in a collaborative way that ensures that their services complement each other. We will continue to ensure that appropriate investment in justice services and other areas of government service delivery occur to ensure this outcome.
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