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| Fears that private firms could profit from detention of NSW mentally ill | Fears that private firms could profit from detention of NSW mentally ill |
| (4 months later) | |
| The New South Wales government is considering changes to the Mental Health Act that could allow private healthcare providers to profit when people are detained against their will, with critics arguing this will favour a major Liberal party donor’s business interests. | The New South Wales government is considering changes to the Mental Health Act that could allow private healthcare providers to profit when people are detained against their will, with critics arguing this will favour a major Liberal party donor’s business interests. |
| The NSW health minister, Kevin Humphries, tabled a review of the act in the state parliament on Thursday, which has raised alarm among some state politicians following a suggestion by the private healthcare company Ramsay Health Care that it could help “in moving patients through the mental system”. | The NSW health minister, Kevin Humphries, tabled a review of the act in the state parliament on Thursday, which has raised alarm among some state politicians following a suggestion by the private healthcare company Ramsay Health Care that it could help “in moving patients through the mental system”. |
| The review document, seen by Guardian Australia, continues that Ramsay Health Care “requested that the ERG [expert reference group] consider whether a more explicit statement should be included in the act about private facilities being able to treat involuntary patients (if approved by the director general of health)”. | The review document, seen by Guardian Australia, continues that Ramsay Health Care “requested that the ERG [expert reference group] consider whether a more explicit statement should be included in the act about private facilities being able to treat involuntary patients (if approved by the director general of health)”. |
| Mental health commissioner John Feneley denied that involuntary detention would occur as a result of the review, but acknowledged there had been discussion of the issues that would arise if it did. | Mental health commissioner John Feneley denied that involuntary detention would occur as a result of the review, but acknowledged there had been discussion of the issues that would arise if it did. |
| He told ABC news: "The one that was really discussed pretty well within the consultation was: 'Would you allow also a purely private operator to have involuntary patients?’ And look, there are a host of issues around that. | He told ABC news: "The one that was really discussed pretty well within the consultation was: 'Would you allow also a purely private operator to have involuntary patients?’ And look, there are a host of issues around that. |
| "But clearly coming out of it there was no recommendation that it should happen. The only thing that did happen out of that was to identify some of the issues." | "But clearly coming out of it there was no recommendation that it should happen. The only thing that did happen out of that was to identify some of the issues." |
| In a statement, Greens MP John Kaye said that if the changes were enacted there was a danger that patients could be held against their will for longer in order for private healthcare companies to make more profit. | In a statement, Greens MP John Kaye said that if the changes were enacted there was a danger that patients could be held against their will for longer in order for private healthcare companies to make more profit. |
| "We have major concerns that Ramsay is now pressuring the Coalition into allowing them to involuntarily detain patients,” he said. | "We have major concerns that Ramsay is now pressuring the Coalition into allowing them to involuntarily detain patients,” he said. |
| "They stand to make a substantial amount of money if they can detain involuntarily patients." | "They stand to make a substantial amount of money if they can detain involuntarily patients." |
| A spokeswoman for Ramsay Health Care told the Sydney Morning Herald that linking political donations to the review was ''absolute nonsense''. She added that the expert group reviewing the act said that private providers were not banned from providing involuntary treatment, but had not yet been given the permission required to provide it. | A spokeswoman for Ramsay Health Care told the Sydney Morning Herald that linking political donations to the review was ''absolute nonsense''. She added that the expert group reviewing the act said that private providers were not banned from providing involuntary treatment, but had not yet been given the permission required to provide it. |
| ''We don't necessarily want to, or have any plans or desires to take scheduled patients,'' she told the Herald. | ''We don't necessarily want to, or have any plans or desires to take scheduled patients,'' she told the Herald. |
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