Immigration Detainees Deserve Better
AMA Vice President, and child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr Choong-Siew Yong, said today the Palmer Report whitewashes some of the AMA's more serious concerns about the mental health of detainees.
Dr Yong said the AMA rejects recommendations for an expert body specifically focused on health matters.
"This is a poor solution, which won't help people in detention," Dr Yong said.
"The AMA has been pushing for health services, particularly mental health services, to be provided by the relevant State or Territory health jurisdiction and not by DIMIA.
"We don't need another gaggle of experts when a functional structure is already in place in the States and Territories.
"Detainees who need mental health care should be streamlined into the existing health system where they can be treated by specialists and dedicated health care workers.
"Detainees with mental health symptoms must be assessed by independent doctors and referred to local health facilities and services to ensure the best possible care.
"The provision of health care by for-profit entities in Australia's detention system has compromised the quality of care.
"The situation where the detention contractor is both funder and provider of health services could represent a significant conflict of interest as corners may be cut when providing care to detainees.
"Immigration detainees must be screened for mental illness early in their detention and then at regular intervals thereafter.
"They must be transferred to state-run psychiatric inpatient care where indicated," Dr Yong said.
The AMA's Executive Council passed the following resolutions last week.
- That the AMA recognises it is essential that all health service provision, in particular mental health care, be provided by independent practitioners with authority to implement necessary clinical care and ideally health and social services should be provided by the relevant State or Territory body, and
- That the AMA calls on the Federal Government to transfer all immigration detainees currently diagnosed, by a psychiatrist, with mental illness requiring hospitalisation to be transferred to an appropriate facility.
14 July 2005
CONTACT: Judith Tokley (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 306