Forensic Services Review

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:43): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Correctional Services questions in relation to forensics services.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: On 30 September last year, the Principal Community Visitor, Mr Maurice Corcoran, submitted his annual report on mental health services to the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse. As is now widely known, that report highlighted the Principal Community Visitor's strong concerns about the quality and safety of care being provided to residents of the Makk and McLeay wards at Oakden.

The Principal Community Visitor's report contained 24 recommendations, and only one recommendation focused on Oakden. In contrast, five recommendations focused on forensic care—how it is resourced and associated matters. The first of the five recommendations called on the South Australian government to publicly release the report of an independent review of forensic care and table it in parliament. To date, that has not happened.

Last week, I asked the minister whether he had been provided with a copy of the report, whether he had read it and whether he had discussed his findings with the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse. My questions are a reiteration of those questions:

1. Has the minister read the report?

2. Has the minister discussed the report with the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse?

3. Can the minister advise if the report raises any concerns about the quality of forensic care provided on the Oakden campus; for example, as part of James Nash House?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for his important questions regarding an important subject. As I have previously alluded to in this place, there are a number of constraints that operate in and around Correctional Services facilities when it comes to determining whether a forensic patient—those people who find themselves within DCS facilities as a result of section 269V of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act—is placed in a DCS prison. Persons detained to a prison in above circumstances can present significant challenges to the department due to their multiple and complex needs.

Often the person detained has a cognitive disability, an intellectual disability or an acquired brain injury and/or a psychiatric disability that heightens the risk to the person while in custody. I can confirm that as of 9 February this year there were 10 forensic patients held in prison under a ministerial direction. The number of forensic patients in DCS custody does, of course, from time to time fluctuate. Despite the challenges, the Department for Correctional Services remains committed to a collaborative approach to forensic mental health services in relation to the management of forensic patients and the implementation of appropriate transition planning.

All forensic patients are regularly reviewed by the visiting psychiatrist. This service works in conjunction with DCS and the South Australian Prison Health Service. There are also cross-agency meetings and an oversight committee that was established to improve the coordination and delivery of services for and to forensic patients within DCS custody. The committee includes representation from the Department for Correctional Services, the Forensic Mental Health Service, the South Australian Prison Health Service and, of course, the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist.