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"Access to necessities"

About: Yorgum High Dependent Mental Health Ward

(as the patient),

I was admitted to the ‘Yorgum’ High Dependency Ward (Acute Care) at the Armadale Mental Health Unit recently.

On the following morning, I asked a member of the Nursing staff if I could have sanitiser or soap in my room, as there were neither present. I was informed that it wasn’t possible and I had to attend the Nursing Office and knock on the door, in order to obtain a single use rationed quantity of communal hand sanitiser.

I believe it is a clear disgrace that (in this day and age) in a hospital setting, that soap is unavailable to involuntary patients in a high dependency mental health ward. It wasn’t even present in my room upon arrival. I had to use what remained in a small Dettol hand sanitiser bottle, that I brought with me.

Just by the way, I was attending the Nurses office for sanitiser up to six times a day, which plays directly into my assessment as being ‘highly dependent’. In all fairness, I ask that a reasonable adjustment is made to the ‘observations’ that are documented by Nursing Staff, relevant to my case please. During mid-morning two days after my admission, Staff member ‘Tami’ was kind enough to provide me with a miniature bar of soap. He indicated that provision of soap, is a uniform policy across the mental health wards.

Thank you for viewing my complaint. I look forward to an improvement with that and assurances that access to basic requisites are provided daily in future. Soap especially. 

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Responses

Response from Danielle Kilmurray, A/Executive Director, Armadale Kalamunda Group, East Metropolitan Health Service 6 months ago
Danielle Kilmurray
A/Executive Director, Armadale Kalamunda Group,
East Metropolitan Health Service
Submitted on 30/12/2024 at 3:13 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia at 4:46 PM


picture of Danielle Kilmurray

Dear Anti Corruption,

Thank you so much for letting us know about your experience in our Yorgum ward.

I have been advised that toiletries are provided to patients as normal practice. I am very sorry that these were not made available to you. I would encourage you to speak to the staff on the ward and they will be able to provide you with these items. Hand sanitiser is a different matter and does need to be controlled by staff.

Please accept my sincere apologies that you were not provided access to basic necessities like soap.

If you would like to speak to someone about your experience I would encourage you to contact us via the Consumer Liaison Service on (08) 9391 1153 or by email to AKG_ConsumerLiaison@health.wa.gov.au.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your feedback with us it is greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Danielle Kilmurray

A/Executive Director

Armadale Kalamunda Group

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