A “damning” report has revealed the Northern Territory’s only youth mental health inpatient facility was unable to uphold 16 national safety standards, posing an “unmanageable” risk to patients and staff.
The 2024 report, obtained by the ABC under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, was commissioned by NT Health after five major critical incidents occurred in the Youth Inpatient Program (YIP) at Royal Darwin Hospital.
The majority of patients at the Youth Inpatient Program are suffering suicidality and psychosis. (ABC News: Tristan Hooft)
Marked as “urgent”, the report stated: “Risks to staff and patient safety has become unmanageable and the physical environment is so significantly damaged that it is not appropriate or therapeutically beneficial.”
Two years on from the report’s release, advocates say no recommendations have been implemented at the facility, which takes acute mental health patients under 18, mostly suffering suicidality and psychosis.
World renowned youth mental health expert Professor Patrick McGorry labelled resourcing for youth mental health as “pathetic” and said it was an issue across Australia.
Professor Patrick McGorry says the mental health care available to young people in Australia is “pathetic”. (Supplied)
“Many other state governments are dropping the ball here and failing to admit their responsibilities to young people,” he said.
“This is the scandal in every part of Australia, that young patients, teenagers, are being treated in facilities designed for middle-aged adults with chronic mental illness.
“The experience is traumatic, it’s harmful and it fails to actually meet their needs.”
Do you know more?Contact Tilda Colling at Colling.Matilda@abc.net.auStaff numbers inadequate
When YIP opened in 2016, NT Health expected to admit around 50 patients a year, but in 2023, 95 children were admitted to the eight-bed ward.
Despite the increase in patients, the report found in its first eight years of operation, YIP had reduced clinical staff numbers, including youth workers, psychologists and occupational therapists.
There had also been a reduction in the minimum number of nurses per shift.
The 2024 report found staffing numbers had reduced at the youth mental health ward at Royal Darwin Hospital. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)
“Not surprisingly, it’s been overwhelmed by the huge demand for mental health care for young people, which has gone up by 50 per cent in the last 15 years,” Professor McGorry said.
“You need the full range of acute services to manage this problem — you need enough beds, you need enough resources to do it properly, otherwise the whole thing just implodes.”
The report found there were no allied health staff or specially trained nurses within YIP, and recommended that these positions be reinstated.
Health Services Union NT/SA branch secretary Billy Elrick described the report as one of the most shocking things that had ever come across his desk.
Billy Elrick says the report into the youth mental health facility is “damning”. (ABC News: Tilda Colling)
“This is a damning report — my first reaction was shock and horror that this has been the true state of affairs in mental health for our youth for such a long time,” he said.
“This report has confirmed what we’ve known for a long time, that NT Health has been periodically reducing and removing allied health positions from its mental health workforce, particularly in its youth inpatient program.
“Allied health is an essential part of mental health service … if you don’t have allied health as part of your service, then you’re not adequately preparing for or treating mental illness that is present in the community.”
Facility not fit for purpose
The report found the facility did not meet safety standards and ultimately recommended NT Health invest in a major upgrade of the current facility or build a new facility.
Much of the report regarding a Workplace Health and Safety walk-through was redacted in the ABC’s FOI documents, but the report did state that bolt locks over doors intended for patient safety posed “serious fire safety risks” which could lead to “catastrophic consequences”.
It also highlighted insecure entrances and exits, too many “blind spots” and other design flaws that could generate psychosocial hazards, including increased anxiety among patients and staff.
NT Health says since the 2024 report the youth mental health facility at Royal Darwin Hospital has been upgraded. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
In a statement, NT Health said the facility had since been upgraded but did not state to what extent or the funding commitment to this.
“The youth inpatient facility has had upgrades to enhance patient care and experience, including the installation of viewing panels in bedroom doors and windows, which enable clinical observation without disturbance,” a spokesperson said.
“As part of NT Health’s safety assessment recommendations, an airlock was added in the facility in 2024.”
NT Health declined an interview request, and was also contacted with further specific questions in regards to progress since the report.
They did not respond to questions by deadline.
Jeswynn Yogaratnam says not including youth facilities in the new adult mental health ward was a missed opportunity. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)
Jeswynn Yogaratnam, lead of the community visitor program that advocates for patients within YIP, said a new adult mental heath ward set to open later this year did not include a youth facility.
“We understand there is no intention to incorporate the YIP into the new mental health build that is currently under construction,” he said.
“That’s quite unfortunate, because that would have been a good built environment space for the purposes of YIP if there was resourcing for that space.”
Housing not healing
Chief executive of the NT Mental Health Coalition Geoff Radford said the report’s findings show it was just “providing housing” for young people with acute mental health needs.
“It’s not a therapeutic space and it’s difficult to provide therapeutic support when their rights have been taken away,” he said.
Geoff Radford says there’s been little implementation of findings from reports into mental health care in the NT. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)
With mental health funding reduced in this year’s budget, Mr Radford said the government has created a separate “road map” to improve mental health services.
“It’s quite a comprehensive document — it brings in all the latest evidence and reports,” he said.
“What we haven’t seen though, is an implementation of those reports.”