The shocking death of a woman in Lismore Base Hospital in 2014 has led to an appeal to Western NSW residents to “co-design” future capital works at Dubbo Hospital’s acute mental health inpatient unit.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Workshops in Dubbo and Bourke this month aim to capture, in particular, the views of people who have “experience or knowledge” of the Gundaymarra Mental Health Inpatient Unit.
The Western NSW Local Health District is running the “co-design process” in response to one of 19 recommendations of the Review of seclusion, restraint and observation of consumers with a mental illness in NSW Health facilities, released in 2017.
Miriam Merten’s death, after she fell and hit her head multiple times in the mental health unit of Lismore Base Hospital, prompted the review led by NSW chief psychiatrist Murray Wright.
The state government has compiled a 27-point action plan to address all the recommendations.
This week the health district reported that the future capital works were related to recommendation 17, which states that “all future capital planning of mental health facilities should include consumer co-design and be informed by evidence on preventing seclusion and restraint”.
Gundaymarra includes single-bed rooms, a recreation area and a seclusion room.
- READ ALSO: Double fatal crash in Central West
Jennifer Coote, the health district’s consumer and care coordinator mental health, drug and alcohol, said the workshops would result in a development plan to inform the unit’s capital works.
“We want to partner with consumers and carers and we recognise their expertise in designing their care,” she said.
The Dubbo workshop at 187 Brisbane Street will run from 12.30 to 3pm on August 20, and the Bourke workshop at 28 Oxley Street from 2pm to 4pm on August 28.
They will be facilitated by the Western NSW Primary Health Network.
The health district is spending $100.5 million on mental health services in 2018/2019.
It reports that “funding options will be considered as planning progresses” on the unit’s capital works.
Are you interested in receiving breaking news direct to your inbox as it happens? Sign up to the Daily Liberal's free breaking news email newsletter alert here: https://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/5546877/get-updates-as-it-happens-with-our-breaking-news-email-alerts/?cs=112)
