1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Three sixty with Katie Wolf on Mixed one oh four 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: point nine thanks to Joyce Main Darwin. You are listening 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: to Mix one oh four point nine is three sixty 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 1: and joining us live on the line right now is 5 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: Matt Cunningham from Sky News. Good morning to you, Matt. 6 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 2: I'll get a Katie. 7 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: I know mate that you are out of the press 8 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: conference of Health Minister's press conference right now and probably 9 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: good timing following on from this extensive report in the 10 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: Northern Territory News today that you've completed into Royal Darwin 11 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: Hospital and report that it is in crisis with a 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: lack of beds basically placing extraordinary pressure on the emergency 13 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: department and forcing doctors to use distressing practices and this 14 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: all centers around mental health care. 15 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a pretty serious situation, Katie, and you know 16 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 2: I've spoken to several people here to confirm this information. 17 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 2: That's point today. But you know, some of those allegations 18 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: are quite serious and they include that mental health patients 19 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 2: that are being heavily sedated in some cases violence, psychiatric 20 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 2: patients in the emergency department are having to be intubated 21 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: and placed under general an aesthetic and put on a 22 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 2: ventilator in the IC, youth are effectively placed in an 23 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 2: induced coma, just so that they can be controlled and 24 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 2: so that the safety of the staff and the patients 25 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 2: and visitors to the hospital can be assured. I'm also 26 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 2: told that in cases there are patients who are spending 27 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 2: three or four days basically to quote one clinician, locked 28 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 2: in a box in the emergency department because there's just 29 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: simply not the ability to admit these patients into one 30 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 2: of the mental health care facilities. Now we know that 31 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 2: there are eight beds in the Joan and Ridley unit, 32 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: there's another eighteen in the County ward. That is just 33 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: proving to be simply insufficient. The hospital's overrun by these 34 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: mental health patients. There's been a search in mental health 35 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: presentation since since the lockdown's lifted following coronavirus, and that's 36 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 2: just placing extraordinary pressure on the staff at Royal Dale 37 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 2: and Hospital. Perhaps the most concerning we Go Okadi is 38 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 2: the reports that we have confirmed where in some cases 39 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: sectioned patients so involuntary psychiatric patients have been let free, 40 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 2: have been allowed to walk from the emergency department at 41 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: the Royal daleen hospital, and that's simply because the staff 42 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 2: have just been put in an incredibly difficult situation. Their 43 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 2: option basically is to either have these patients held down 44 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 2: and sedated, to leave them unsedated in the emergency department 45 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 2: with the potential for drastic consequences like the case you 46 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 2: revealed the other day where a security guard was stabbed, 47 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,959 Speaker 2: or you know, the third option in what is really 48 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: a horrible Hobson's choice is to allow the patient to 49 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 2: walk out. Knows how drastic the situation is when in 50 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: some cases they are seeing that as their best and 51 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 2: only option in this situation. 52 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: But it's pretty terrifying stuff. 53 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 2: You know. 54 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: It's dangerous obviously for those patients, it's dangerous for everybody 55 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: else in the hospital, it's dangerous for staff. I mean, 56 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 1: there's so many reasons why this needs to get sorted. 57 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 1: What is the Health minister had to say this morning 58 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: or she's holding a. 59 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,239 Speaker 2: Press conference as we speak, so I'm going to have 60 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 2: to run fairly choice. Tashals will be holding a press 61 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 2: conference in about three minutes, so we'll get an idea 62 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: from her as to exactly what the government's going to 63 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 2: do about this. We know they released the tender this 64 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: week for refurbishments and developments to mental health facilities at 65 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 2: the Royal Vale and Hospital campus. Were already saying though 66 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 2: that what's being proposed is too little and too late. 67 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 2: We're talking about thirty million dollars worth of upgrades year 68 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: at Royal dar in the hospital. Interestingly, today the front 69 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: page of the GELNG advertise reports the more than one 70 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty million dollars spent on health taking of 71 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 2: a similar size to Darwin. I think perhaps we need 72 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 2: to be asking the normal territory and the federal government 73 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 2: whether it's something similar needs to be done here because 74 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 2: at the moment, the situation there, yeah, at Royal dal 75 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 2: And Hospital is a really dangerous one. It's putting an 76 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 2: incredible amount of pressure on the staff and I can 77 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: tell you, Katie, from those I've spoken to people out 78 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 2: there in the emergency department in particular at Royal Dale 79 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 2: and Hospital but also in the psychiatric wards, they are 80 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,479 Speaker 2: at breaking point. They really are doing it incredibly tough 81 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 2: and I think company needs to be done urgently to 82 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 2: do something about this situation. 83 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're spot on. I know I've spoken to some 84 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: stuff out there as well, and you're spot on. They're concerned, 85 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: just very quickly because I know you've got to run. 86 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: But we do know as well that last month the 87 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: top a mental health service hired a dedicated local consultant 88 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 1: to manage a team of mental health clinicians working within 89 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: the emergency department. However, she resigned after just four days 90 00:04:59,360 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: on the job. 91 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know, and you know, according to my concerned 92 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: about the risk that was associated with her job within 93 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,119 Speaker 2: the emergency department and that if something went seriously wrong, 94 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 2: we hope there's a good chance it could that she 95 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 2: could be held responsible for that. The department says to 96 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 2: the reasons that her departure are her own and they're confidential. 97 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 2: So no confirmation from the department on that that. I've 98 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 2: certainly been told her that she was concerned about the situation. 99 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: Now, yeah, well, Matt Cunningham, no doubt this is going 100 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: to be on the agenda tomorrow for the week that 101 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: was when you'll be joining us, as will the Health 102 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: Minister and the Opposition leader. Should be an. 103 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 2: Interesting one, No worry, Good on you, Matt. 104 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: Thank you Matt Cunningham there from Sky News obviously out 105 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: at that press conference this morning. But yeah, This is 106 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: a serious concern, There's no doubt about that, and it 107 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 1: is something that we've been speaking about throughout the week, 108 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: and I know that it's quite a tough one as well. 109 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: You know, when we talk about mental health, there is 110 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: that stigma surrounding mental health, which there shouldn't be, but 111 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 1: there is. And then when you add to that, you know, 112 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: the situation that's obviously happening at the moment at Royal 113 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: Dalen Hospital. You know, we're probably hard pressed to actually 114 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: hear from a family member who has a loved one 115 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: that is out there at RDH, or that's been through 116 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: the emergency department and struggled, or that you know, has 117 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: obviously been impacted by this situation because a lot of 118 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 1: the time it's not something that people want to come 119 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: out and publicly speak about. So I really hope that 120 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 1: we are able to, you know, to make some change 121 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: in this space and try to ensure that we do 122 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: see these facilities expanded. As Matt then pointed out, we 123 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: do know that there has been a obviously a tend 124 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: to go out a little bit earlier in the week, 125 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: and I will try to make sure that we that 126 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: we take you through the detail of what's been proposed 127 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 1: in that tender as well, so that you've got a 128 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: really good understanding of exactly what the government is planning 129 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: to do when it comes to that money around the 130 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: mental health facility, because it's been some that we've talked 131 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: about for quite some time.