Immediate action promised from Stokes' review

A 'warts and all' review into admission and discharge practices of public mental health services and facilities by Professor Bryant Stokes has provided another important step to reforming Western Australia's mental health services.

  • Professor Bryant Stokes' review completed into WA public mental health facilities/services

  • Nine key recommendation areas and 107 recommendations

A 'warts and all' review into admission and discharge practices of public mental health services and facilities by Professor Bryant Stokes has provided another important step to reforming Western Australia's mental health services.

Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said Professor Stokes' independent review did not hold back when it came to the many distressing personal stories of people with mental illness and their families who were not always getting the help they needed.

"The purpose of this review was to focus on system-wide compliance with admission and discharge policies and to make sure they are improved for patients, families and clinicians," Mrs Morton said.

"I want to make it clear to people with mental illness, their families, carers and clinicians, I asked for this report because I intend to drive the change needed to address these issues.

"We are not starting from scratch.  While changes to our mental health system are already under way, any significant change takes time to get right."

The Minister said the Health Department director general and the Mental Health Commissioner were already working on the report's principal recommendation to develop a WA Clinical Services Plan.

"The report reinforces the complexity of mental health care, the increased demands and the changing community expectation about care," she said.

"It acknowledges dedication and commitment by clinicians working under difficult circumstances."

Mrs Morton commended Professor Stokes on providing an excellent review and thanked him for his comprehensive report.

      Fact File

  • Review available at Mental Health Commission and Department of Health's websites

  • Prof Stokes is a renowned neurosurgeon and a former Chief Medical Officer of WA

  • Review involved interviews with 891 people; a review of the data of 255 people who suicided in 2009; medical record audit in addition to, reports and submissions provided by members of the public, legislated bodies and organisations

  • Unprecedented $582m funding provided to Mental Health Commission in 2012-13 budget

  • This represents an increase of 39 per cent since 2008

  • The Liberal-National Government has:

    • established WA's first dedicated ministerial portfolio to Mental Health

    • established a Mental Health Commission to focus on mental health

    • appointed Australia's first Mental Health Commissioner

    • tabled a Mental Health Green Bill 2012

    • established WA's first Suicide Prevention Strategy: 30 per cent reduction in 2011

    • established an empowered voice for consumers (CoMHWA)

    • set up WA's first Mental Health Court Diversion Program

    • developed WA's first Step-up/step-down facilities: 56 beds over three years

    • a new community living program, 118 homes for people to move out of hospital

    • WA's first State-wide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service

  • New beds: Broome - 14 mental health beds; Rockingham - 30 mental health beds; Fiona Stanley - 30 mental health beds; Midland - 15 more mental health beds; Albany - 7 more beds, total 16 mental health beds; new children's hospital - 12 more beds, total 20 beds 

Minister's office - 6552 6900