Mental Health Services

In reply to Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15 November 2018).

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining): The Minister for Health and Wellbeing has advised:

I am pleased to advise that in April 2019, the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network appointed a suitably qualified psychiatrist to fill the vacancy at the Centre for Disability Health, to ensure adults with intellectual disability and comorbid psychiatric illness continue to receive treatment.

With respect to the Mental Health Assessment Unit, the former Labor Government closed the temporary Mental Health Short Stay Unit (MHSSU) at the Lyell McEwin Hospital (LMH) on 15 December 2017, which at that time had eight beds.

The former government was not planning a new unit until 2021.

Since November 2018, an existing transportable building has accommodated a five-bed unit and will do so until a new permanent Mental Health Assessment Unit is delivered in 2021 as part of the $58.0 million LMH Emergency Department Redevelopment project.