28 July 2023
On 28 March 2019, under Section 96(2) of the Mental Health Act 2009, the Chief Psychiatrist imposed a temporary gazettal condition on the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) to operate as an Approved Treatment Centre. This required the Central Adelaide Local Health Network to develop an approved risk mitigation plan, due to significant concerns about the performance of the duress system in the Mental Health Unit, Ward 2G.
Since that time, the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (OCP) has undertaken further inspections and made recommendations regarding the duress system. Significant work by the operator of the RAH, the Central Adelaide Local Health Network and its technical contractors has been undertaken. Based on this work, and recent duress system testing, the OCP has opted to lessen the conditions to a requirement for reporting only. This will be for a 12-month period.
The new condition was published in the SA Government Gazette on the 27th July 2023:
The Chief Psychiatrist pursuant to Section 96 of the Mental Health Act 2009 (‘the Act’), by notice in the Gazette published on 28 March 2019 varied the determination that the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Port Road, Adelaide SA 5000 is an Approved Treatment Centre by attaching the condition that the service may continue to admit voluntary mental health patients and patients subject to Inpatient Treatment Orders providing that: a risk mitigation plan approved by the Chief Psychiatrist is in place to provide for the safety of consumers, visitors and staff in the context of the inconsistent performance of the duress system.
Notice is hereby given that the Chief Psychiatrist pursuant to Section 96 of the Act, revokes the condition placed on 28 March 2019. The revocation of this condition commences on 27 July 2023, the date of publication of this notice.
The Chief Psychiatrist pursuant to Section 96 of the Act, attaches a further condition following the revocation of this previous condition: the service may continue to admit voluntary mental health patients and patients subject to Inpatient Treatment Orders providing that there is quarterly reporting of duress system performance, in a form agreed by the Chief Psychiatrist, for a period of twelve months.