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Women-only mental health wards needed
04 October 2010.
Female psychiatric patients requiring public hospital treatment should have the option of staying in a women-only psychiatric ward to reduce the threat of sexual abuse and harassment by other patients, AMA Victoria President Dr Harry Hemley said today.
The call comes after the launch today of the Women and Mental Health Network’s five point plan to ensure safety for women in acute psychiatric wards.
"Some of the most vulnerable women in our community are being placed in mixed psychiatric wards where they face predatory behaviour, unwelcome sexual advances, and threatened or actual assault, including sexual assault," Dr Hemley said.
"Psychiatric patients should have the option of choosing a single-sex ward, " he said. "These women need to be able to focus on improving their mental health and shouldn’t be burdened with anxieties about their safety.
"Some psychiatric patients have deeply distressing experiences of sexual abuse. We need to do as much as we can to ensure patients feel safe and secure in our psychiatric wards and ensure they have enough privacy."
Dr Hemley said single sex options have recently been introduced to psychiatric wards in the UK and seem to be working well.
While some Victorian hospitals have established women’s corridors in acute mental health units, Dr Hemley said bed shortages meant male patients were often put in women’s corridors, and vice versa.
"The shortage of beds across the system means patients are often cared for in inappropriate areas," he said. "Most beds are in use most of the time so patients are put where there is room, rather than the environment that best meets their needs.
"If our hospitals ran at the internationally recommended 85 per cent capacity, single-sex wards would be easier to implement.
"The next Victorian Government must increase the number of mental health beds right across the system. So far we have seen only ad hoc announcements to increase the number of mental health beds in a handful of facilitates.
"The Labor Party and Liberal/Nationals Coalition must present their visions for mental health improvements before the 27 November election – these plans must increase access and quality of care for vulnerable Victorians."
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