Brain damaged victim trapped in mental health unit
The Courier Mail
Peter Hall
November 28,2015
The young man has been an inpatient at Nambour General Hospital’s mental health unit .
A YOUNG man who experts agree does not have a mental illness has been “trapped’’ in a mental health facility for seven months because Disability Services has no funds for support.
The 22-year-old, from the Sunshine Coast, suffered a brain injury in a car accident in 2011. This caused an intellectual impairment and he became unable to complete simple tasks and began to display inappropriate behaviour.
The Forensic Disability Act is designed to provide for involuntary detention as well as support and protection of forensic disability clients, while safeguarding their rights and freedoms and maximising opportunities for reintegration.
The young man has been an inpatient at Nambour General Hospital’s mental health unit since April. He is not undergoing any treatment nor required to take any medication.
A clinical psychologist’s report indicates he is able to live in the broader community.
This support is available for about $300,000 a year. However, it costs an estimated $800 a day – or $292,000 annually – to keep him in the mental health facility.
The family, through Sunshine Coast lawyer Peter Boyce, has written to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk outlining the “terrible predicament’’ and pleading for help.
“No one would believe that a citizen is treated this way,’’ Mr Boyce said. “He is trapped.
“This is an incredibly degrading and difficult environment for someone who does not have mental illness. This is a funding issue, nothing else.
“These wards are for people who need them and we know mental health is bulging at the seams. He’s taking up a valuable bed.”
A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk said a letter had been received and would be examined. He said the Premier’s office and the department concerned were unable to comment further due to legal issues.
At present, the man has funding from Disability Services for five hours a day for supervised release and spends some of that time with family.
The Nambour Mental Health Acute Inpatient Unit has 48 beds and is a locked ward.
Health reports state work is being done to improve the facility following poor feedback from “consumers, carers and mental health staff’’.
A report said this included the environment being “not conducive to the provision of contemporary mental health care’’, having a lack of space and limited confidential work areas for consultation and work with consumers and family.
|
|
 |
 |
|
