Perth mental health experts call for closure of seclusion rooms

www.news.com.au, 1 January 2017Mental health experts are calling for an end to the use of seclusion rooms at WA hospitals as it emerged one child was locked up for 12 hours.

A report by WA’s chief psychiatrist Nathan Gibson shows children with mental health problems were routinely locked up and restrained last year.

In a five-month period, there were 40 seclusion episodes for 20 children, with 75 per cent involving girls. Ten kids were held for less than an hour, 11 for up to two hours and fewer than five patients were held for an average seven hours.

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http://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/perth-mental-health-experts-call-for-closure-of-seclusion-rooms/news-story/c17edef5d32366dadd8fe1d79844b27d