Annual Report 2004-2005 - Forensicare

The recommendations included in the audit
reports are currently being implemented.
Personal Identification
Different coloured lanyards for staff and
visitors were introduced during the year to
enhance security within the Hospital. This
provides for the quick identification of
visitors in times of emergency and enables
patients (who don’t wear lanyards) to be
immediately identified.
Contractors
A security training program and a
Contractors’ Handbook (which details all
security requirements) was developed in
2004 for all external contractors working in
the hospital. All contractors, many of whom
require the use of tools and other
equipment within the hospital, are now
required to attend the training program
and indicate that they have read and
understood the handbook prior to
commencing work.
Security Drills and Training
All clinical staff are required to participate
in security drills, which are held monthly,
generally without notice. Our security
provider, GSL Custodial Services, is
required to respond to each drill within
their contracted benchmarks. Feedback
on each drill is circulated to staff and an
outcome report submitted to Council.
During 2004-2005, security issues
involving the entire hospital were covered
in the drills.
LEGAL SERVICES
Forensicare operates under a complex
legislative environment that governs its
relationships with government and the
services it supplies to patients and clients.
The Mental Health Act 1986 and the
Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness
to be Tried) Act 1997 set out the legal
framework for treatment for patients
and clients.
CUSTODIAL SUPERVISION
ORDERS
As noted elsewhere (see Chief Executive
Officer’s Report, page 9), there has been
significant activity in the area of patients
admitted under the Crimes (Mental
Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act
1997 (CMIA).
During the year –
• 7 patients were admitted to Thomas
Embling Hospital on Custodial
Supervision Orders (CSO), compared
to eleven in 2003-2004. These orders
are made following a finding of ‘not
guilty by reason of mental impairment’
at a person’s trial. At 30 June 2005
however, there were 2 people subject
to Custodial Supervision Orders made
in late June who remained in prison
awaiting a bed vacancy at Thomas
Embling Hospital. It became common
in 2004-2005 that if a person is in
prison when the court makes a CSO,
that person is required to wait in prison
for 3-4 weeks before a bed becomes
available at the Hospital.
• 4 patients moved from the Thomas
Embling Hospital to live full time in the
community on extended leave. Two of
these patients had utilised the Jardine
Transition Program (page 21) prior to
applying for extended leave.
• 2 patients in the community had their
extended leave suspended due to a
relapse of their illness and were
admitted to Thomas Embling Hospital.
NON-CUSTODIAL
SUPERVISION ORDERS
• 8 Non Custodial Supervision Orders
(NCSO) were made for new offenders
(four more than 2003-2004).
• 6 people on an NCSO were readmitted
to hospital due to deterioration in their
mental state. Three were admitted to
their local mental health service, which
reflects the growing trend for this group
of patients to be supervised by
Forensicare, but treated on a regular
basis by their local service. Three of
these admissions were to Thomas
Embling Hospital, and 2 were
admissions for a period over 3 months.
One of patients readmitted remained in
Thomas Embling Hospital for almost
the entire reporting period.
• Of the 40 clients in the community on
NCSO’s at 30 June 2005, 33 are
supervised by Forensicare’s Community
Forensic Mental Health Service, and 7
supervised by area mental health
services.
• 1 person on a NCSO had their Order
revoked. They will continue to reside
in the community, without compulsory
treatment under the CMIA.
• The increasing trend for NCSO’s to be
made by courts following a trial for less
serious offences has continued. Only
1 of the 8 NCSO’s made was for a
person who had been found not guilty
of attempted murder by reason
of their mental impairment. The
remaining orders, made by Judges
in the County Court, were for a range
of lesser offences including arson,
obtaining financial advantage by
deception, possessing equipment to
traffick drugs or assault-type charges.
During the year there were 17 Court
hearings for people on Supervision Orders
under the CMIA that involved Forensicare
staff. Each Court hearing involves
considerable staff input and has a
significant impact on the existing workload
of all staff involved.
Period Thomas Embling Hospital Community
Custodial Supervision Extended Non-Custodial
Orders Leave Order
30 June 2005 52 6 40
30 June 2004 48 6 33
30 June 2003 40 4 23
30 June 2002 36 6 19
30 June 2001 28 11 13
37