House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2) 53 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Mental Health Patients Mental Health Patients Mr SPEIRS House of Assembly Bright Mental Health Patients Mr SPEIRS (Bright) (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse. On what basis did the minister assert yesterday that the government's target that no mental health patient should stay in an ED for more than 24 hours is being met? As at 2am this morning, there were three mental health patients at The QEH who had been in an ED for more than 24 hours. The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS House of Assembly Taylor Minister for Disabilities Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Mental Health Patients The Hon. L.A. VLAHOS (Taylor—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (14:49): I thank the member across the way for his question in this space. At any point of time, there is a variability in the way we deal with these challenges that we meet at EDs. Over the last period of time, in fact over the last 15 months or so, there has been a steady decrease in ED waiting times, but on any one day we cannot predict the needs of consumers interacting with the South Australian mental healthcare system.