A significant number of people with disability continue to live long term in health care facilities, including public hospitals, authorised mental health units and other psychiatric facilities. This has been an area of ongoing advocacy for successive Public Advocates.
Discharge barriers are related to, for younger patients, NDIS plan approval and accommodation delays; while for older patients the availability of residential aged care facility places can delay discharge.
While welcoming of agency efforts to reduce these numbers, including Queensland Health’s Long Stay Rapid Response Program, the Public Advocate continues to have concerns regarding the number of patients remaining in health facilities and interim care facilities (including purchased residential aged care beds, hotels, community accommodation, private hospitals and virtual wards), as well as about the facilitation of appropriate and sustainable discharge solutions.
The Public Advocate is continuing to liaise with Queensland Health and other appropriate agencies, including QCAT and the NDIA, to address these issues and work towards sustainable solutions to facilitate the safe discharge of people with disability from hospital environments back into the community.