Hedland Health Campus death: Shadow health minister Libby Mettam wants full transparency in suicide probe

Shadow health minister Libby Mettam has called for “complete transparency” in the investigation into the death of a Port Hedland woman who took her own life in a side room of the town’s hospital after being left alone by staff. The North West Telegraph on July 7 revealed the woman — who was a known suicide risk — was taken to the Hedland Health Campus by family members before being put into a side room at the facility. It is unclear exactly for how long the woman was left by herself. But the tragic discovery was made when staff returned to the room. It is also understood the woman was a known suicide risk and had been receiving treatment for mental health issues for a number of years. In a statement, Ms Mettam called for a complete and transparent investigation into the tragic incident. “Our hearts go out to the woman’s family and the health workers at Hedland Health Campus who are all impacted by this tragedy,” she said. “The WA Country Health Service and the McGowan Government must be completely transparent regarding the investigation into this tragic case, which includes details of the staffing levels which our health workers were operating under. “Transparency regarding this incident and the Government’s response is essential to ensuring the family and public gain some confidence that no other family would have to go through this again.” Ms Mettam also said the State Government should, as a matter of urgency, provide answers regarding the staffing levels at the health campus. “We know health workers have experienced severe rostering shortages, excessive hours, fatigue, and burnout at this health campus,” she said. “Staff morale has also been a major concern at Hedland Health Campus, with workers walking off the job last August, at that time they were saying severe staff shortages were jeopardising the health of some of our most vulnerable patients. “These staffing issues are a major concern at hospitals across the State, in regional WA and the McGowan Government must address these dangerous levels of staffing as a matter of urgency.” On July 7, a Hedland Health Campus spokeswoman said it would not comment on the case while it was under investigation. Australian Medical Association (WA) president Mark Duncan-Smith said he was unaware of the specifics of the incident but that staffing of hospitals across regional WA — and especially in the North West — had been a problem for some time. “From my point of view, it’s very frustrating trying to get WA Health to understand the critical level of poor culture and morale in the country,” Dr Duncan-Smith said. “I’ve been advised that health professionals quite simply are just quitting. They’re just leaving. “It really is, I think, getting to become dire. And it is being brought to the attention of WA Health and very little seems to be getting done about it.” Dr Duncan-Smith also pointed to the results of the most recent Minister for Health Survey in 2021, which found contracted medical practitioners in regional hospitals were far less satisfied than their peers in Perth. Staff at the hospital walked off the job in protest against severe rostering shortages last August, protesting against excessive hours, fatigue and burnout.