MENTAL HEALTH COSTS

In reply to Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (20 June 2012).

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts): I am advised:

1. The cost of an acute mental health bed can vary across hospital sites due to bed numbers, ward configurations and infrastructure layout. The estimated average direct savings for each acute bed at the Margaret Tobin Centre and Glenside is approximately $144,000.

2. Total direct savings for the 18 beds across both sites is $2.6 million in a full year. These funds are being reinvested into mental health care as part of the Stepping Up reforms that will deliver 251 more mental health beds and places across the State by 2014-15 through State and Commonwealth investments.