Page 685 - Week 02 - Thursday, 20 February 2020
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(c) In anticipation of the outcome of the review report, ACTHD put a placeholder in the Legislation Program 2020 to amend the Mental Health Act. These amendments will focus on changes that are critical or time sensitive and can be achieved without extensive consultation.
Mental health—data
(Question No 2852)
Mrs Dunne asked the Minister for Mental Health, upon notice, on 29 November 2019:
(1) Was the statistic for “Acute psychiatric unit patient 28 day readmission rate” measured in the years before 1 October 2018 (reference Strategic Objective 6, Canberra Health Services annual report 2018-19, p 27); if yes, why could the process to collect this data not continue after that date.
(2) Was the “definition” for collecting this data different from the “national definition” previously, and, if so, what were the differences.
Mr Rattenbury: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) Prior to October 2018 the Acute psychiatric unit patient 28-day patient readmission rate for acute mental health services was consistently measured. The reporting of the data could not continue in the same way due in part to the Auditor-General’s 2017 Report - Mental Health Services - Transition from Acute Care recommendation.
This report recommended that clinical review/audits for readmissions within 28 days not be conducted by the inpatient facility staff receiving the consumer, due to a potential perception of a conflict of interest.
Without a clinical review of the data we were unable to distinguish between unplanned readmissions from planned readmissions.
(2) Prior to 2018, the definition used in ACT Health for this indicator is based on the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards (ACHS). A clinical review/audit is required to determine if a return to hospital for an inpatient admission within 28 days is part of planned or unplanned treatment and care.
The national definition of this indicator includes both planned and unplanned readmissions and is not based on the ACHS definition. It is proposed the indicator be aligned with the national definition for consistency in 2019-20.
Mental health—Auslan resources
(Question No 2853)
Mrs Dunne asked the Minister for Mental Health, upon notice, on 29 November 2019:
(1) Are there any psychologists in Canberra who are fluent in Auslan and can communicate directly with deaf and deaf blind patients and were there any previously; if so, (a) how long ago and (b) why weren’t they replaced.
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