Requesting Road-Based Transport for Mental Health Patients Subject to Transport Orders Policy

MP 0063/17 - Requesting Road-Based Transport for Mental Health Patients Subject to Transport Orders Policy (pdf 178KB)

Applicable to:

This Policy is applicable to Health Service Provider staff members who are involved with the authorisation and coordination of transport orders made under the Mental Health Act 2014; and provides direction regarding how road-based transfers of mental health patients subject to transport orders must be arranged within or between the following:

• Child and Adolescent Health Service.
• East Metropolitan Health Service.
• North Metropolitan Health Service.
• South Metropolitan Health Service.
• WA Country Health Service to the extent that a Transport Officer service is available locally to carry out road-based transport.

Description:

This Policy sets out the provisions for requesting road-based transport for mental health patients who are subject to a transport order (e.g. a Form 4A Transport Order or Form 7D Apprehension and Return Order) under the Mental Health Act 2014 and require road-based Inter Hospital Patient Transport (IHPT) between public health service facilities, or road-based transport from a hospital or community location to a public health service facility.

This Policy is a mandatory requirement under the Mental Health Policy Framework pursuant to section 26(2)(c) of the Health Services Act 2016.

This Policy supersedes Operational Directives:

• OD 0659/16 Mandatory providers of road based patient transport services for individuals in metropolitan Perth under formal Transport Orders under the Mental Health Act 2014 (Form 4A); and
• OD 0664/16 Requesting Police Assistance for Transport under the Mental Health Act 2014.

Updates: 

Type of Amendment	Date of Effect	Description of Amendment
Major Amendment	29 July 2020	Title changed to emphasise applicability to road-based transport, noting policy scope excludes air transport. Section 2.0: Applicability amended to expand scope to include WACHS where applicable. Section 3.0: Reworded to emphasise least restrictive care and minimising stigma. Contractor names and references to contractors removed. Guidance regarding how and when to request Transport Officers and WA Police Force amended to align with guidance from key stakeholders. Health Service Providers now responsible for providing public health service facilities with Mental Health Patient Transport Risk Rating Form(s) and information about requesting services from Transport Officers and WA Police Force. Transport Officers able to enact Apprehension and Return Orders (Form 7D) under the Mental Health Act 2014. Section 4.0: Compliance monitoring amended to align to system manager role. Section 5.0: Apprehension & Return Order (Form 7D) added. Mental Health Transport Risk Assessment Form removed. Section 6.0: The following documents have been removed Chief Psychiatrist’s Standard: Seclusion and Bodily Restraint Reduction National Standards for Mental Health Services Standard 2.2 Provision of Road Based Non-Emergency Inter Hospital Patient Transport Contract information (HCN) Mental Health Patient Transport Service Booking Reference Guide

Date of effect: 29 July 2020

Policy Framework

Mental Health

Related documents

Transport Order (Form 4A) (WA Health staff only)

Apprehension and Return Order (Form 7D) (WA Health staff only)