Labor’s disgust at patients in hotels

LABOR has lashed out at the State Government’s processes in transitioning mental health patients’ into the community, suggesting housing providers need to be used better.

Homeless patients with mental health issues are being discharged into hotels, motels and backpacker hostels, Health Department staff have told the Opposition. Labor leader Rebecca White directed her attack at Premier Will Hodgman in State Parliament yesterday.

“Acutely unwell mental health patients are waiting in our emergency department for days on end,” Ms White said.

“There are vacancies in the Royal Hobart Hospital Department of Psychiatry to help patients liaise with housing providers to help the transition back to the community.

“Because of the pressure you have placed on the system, staff are now blowing the whistle on the unsafe practice of transferring patients to hotels and backpacker hostels.

“We heard from a backpackers manager in Hobart who told the ABC, ‘It’s unfair because we don’t have the capabilities for that. We are not at all qualified for that’.”

Mr Hodgman acknowledged the report.

“Yes, there were observations made by the operator of a backpackers’ hostel but there was also a comment by the head of the [RHH] Medical Staff Association, Dr [Frank] Nicklason,” Mr Hodgman said.

“He said ... ‘I am not aware of any pressure being put on individual clinicians by medical administrators’.

“The acting CEO of the Tasmanian Health Service ... said very clearly, ‘ To be clear, the Tasmanian Health Service does not and will not send acutely unwell people to hotels.”