- Specialised Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) to treat drug and alcohol affected patients opens today
- New six-bay clinic to ease pressure and reduce waiting times at the busy Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) emergency department
- The Urgent Care Clinic (Toxicology) opening follows the budget announcement of $11.8 million to build a Mental Health Observation Area Plus (MHOA) at RPH
Premier Mark McGowan and Health and Mental Health Minister Roger Cook today formally opened the Urgent Care Clinic (Toxicology) at Royal Perth Hospital.
The UCC (Toxicology) is located within the emergency department and provides specialised services for people with behavioural disturbances, usually caused by drugs and alcohol.
The clinic offers a way to treat and manage intoxicated or drug affected patients who can be disruptive to other patients and staff, and at worst pose a security threat.
With six treatment spaces, made up of five beds and one chair, the clinic will be staffed by a mix of dedicated new and existing RPH medical and nursing staff, supported by drug and alcohol specialists, homeless healthcare professionals, mental health clinicians and social workers.
The establishment of the UCC (Toxicology) builds on a suite of measures introduced by the McGowan Government to ensure staff and patient safety at hospital emergency departments. These include enhanced CCTV, staff training in de-escalation of aggressive incidents, and the funding of stab vests and duress alarms to protect frontline hospital staff.
Together with the specialised RPH Urgent Care Clinic, a recently announced funding boost of $11.8 million to build a Mental Health Observation Area Plus on the site forms the centrepiece to the McGowan Government's broader Royal Perth Hospital redevelopment plan, which will include a Medihotel and innovation hub to bolster research.
Complementing the UCC (Toxicology), the mental health observation area will provide a comprehensive suite of psychiatric services to meet the health needs of the large inner city population.
Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:
"Urgent Care Clinics take pressure off the busy emergency departments and represent how this Government puts patients first.
"We made a commitment to revamp the ageing Royal Perth Hospital, and the introduction of this specialised clinic will enable patients who are affected by alcohol and drugs to receive dedicated care within an emergency setting.
"This announcement follows the $11.8 million of funding for the development of the Mental Health Observation Area Plus at Royal Perth Hospital, as part of the recent State Budget.
"The establishment of these new services will significantly improve mental health resources and deliver patient centered care for residents in Perth. It will relieve pressure on the emergency department at RPH and cut wait times."
Comments attributed to Health and Mental Health Minister Roger Cook:
"The Urgent Care Clinic (Toxicology) at RPH will target the management of acute behavioural disturbance, usually from people affected by alcohol and drugs who only need a stay of less than 24 hours.
"While the election commitment on Urgent Care Clinics envisaged an acute primary care setting, the advice from the Department of Health was that a toxicology unit at RPH would best serve the needs of the hospital and ease pressure on the emergency department.
"The Mental Health Observation Area Plus has been designed to provide management of patients who require a longer duration of acute inpatient psychiatric treatment in a secure ward environment. The observation area, which is another election commitment, will operate 24/7 and provide a comprehensive suite of psychiatric services.
"These investments into Royal Perth Hospital are examples of key health infrastructure and service investments that not only improve the services provided to Western Australians, but also help to ensure patients get the right treatment quickly, and more cost effectively."
Premier's office - 6552 5000
Health and Mental Health Minister's office - 6552 6500
