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More beds needed

Staff ReporterComment News

The petition was collated by Roleystone mum Christine Brown and Linda Stillitano, of Thornlie.

Opposition Mental Health spokesman Stephen Dawson joined a rally on the steps of Parliament recently, saying Perth’s new children’s hospital may only deliver six extra beds.

Mr McGowan said questions in Parliament revealed the new children’s hospital would include 20 beds for mental health patients while six beds would remain at Bentley Hospital Campus.

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There are 12 beds at Bentley Hospital and eight beds at Princess Margaret Hospital.

‘It’s disappointing that even after the opening of the new children’s hospital there may only be six more beds for children suffering from mental illnesses across the state.

‘The new children’s hospital is supposed to be capable of treating sick children in WA for the next hundred years,’ Mr Dawson said.

Mental Health Minister Helen Morton told Comment News is was critical we got the right balance of community-based and inpatient services.

‘If a child or young person with a mental illness, or any illness, urgently requires hospital care, they will receive this,’ Mrs Morton said.

‘While young people are waiting for an acute bed they are in regular contact with either the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service or another mental health service.’