· FOI reveals operating increases in several areas of Wilfred Lopes Centre
· Expenditure on pharmaceuticals has almost doubled in a year
· Budget for staff overtime and workers compensation show significant increases
The Liberals have questioned whether expenditure increases in several areas of the Wilfred Lopes Centre is the reason why this facility is not being used to its full capacity.
An inquest into the death in custody of two prisoners revealed the prison system had difficulty meeting the needs of prisoners with disabilities partly because the Wilfred Lopes Centre was running at half-capacity because of budget restrictions.
The Liberals recently sought information on the Centre through FOI, and this shows increases in operating expenses in several areas, including expenditure on pharmaceutical supplies, which has increased from $164,000 in 2007-08, to $280,000 in 2008-09.
There was also an increase in the costs of workers compensation increasing from $12,633 to $114,055, with 8 workers compensation claims, four related to violent incidents in the past year.
The FOI reveals DHHS paid a total overtime bill of $398,517 for the 69.8 FTEs at the Centre.
With reports that the Wilfred Lopes Centre could be more effectively used in taking on more patients with disabilities from the prison system, these expenditure increases must be questioned.
If budget blow-outs are causing the Centre to keep bed numbers down, this is of concern.
The Liberals are particularly mystified by the significant increase in pharmaceutical supplies, and would even more concerned if the reason for this was a reliance on the chemical restraint of patients.
Chemical restraint is usually defined as ‘when medication that is sedative in effect is prescribed and dispensed to control the behaviour rather than provide treatment’.
A recent national consumer and carer paper on seclusion and restraint in mental health services stated chemical restraint should never be used as first line or treatment intervention and recommended all States review their Mental Health Acts accordingly.
In Tasmania, the State Labor Government is up to its 14th draft Mental Health amendment Bill and the timeframe has now been extended beyond the next election.
In the meantime, we need to ensure every psychiatric facility in the State has clear and publicly-available policies on seclusion, physical and chemical restraint.
I call on the Minister to provide answers on why Wilfred Lopes is operating at reduced capacity and explain expenditure increases.
Brett Whiteley MP Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services
