ÊI am writing

Dear Minister,to you with concerns in regard to the state wide mental health bed
plan.Ê In particular I am concerned about this plans impact on the eating disorder
s unit at Flinders Medical Centre Ward 4G.Ê I understand that Ward 4G eating disor
der beds will be closed and replaced by beds made available in the Margaret Tobi
Ên1I.am Centre
concerned
Iafter
am concerned
acute the
about mental
that
implications
mental
health health
bedsofare
this
professionals
closed.
decision inandthepatients
following
haveways:
advise
d that it would be untenable to attempt to provide treatment for eating disorder
s in the Margaret Tobin Centre.Ê I am concerned that the Margaret Tobin Centre is
currently dedicated to managing a wide range of mental health problems.Ê I am conc
erned that this ward will be an environment inappropriate for delivering eating
disorder care.Ê I am concerned that mental health professionals have voiced concer
n that attempting to treat patients with eating disorders in this environment is
against International best practice and increases the risk of psychological, ph
ysical and sexual trauma.Ê I am also concerned that mental health professionals ad
vise this will led to the increase of treatment refusal and the risks that becau
Êse2. of thisI amlives
concerned
will bethat
lost.
eating disorder patients under 18 will no longer be
able to access eating disorder care at Flinders Medical Centre.Ê I am aware that e
ating disorder patients tend to present for care at 15 years of age and often re
quire treatment until around 23 years of age.Ê I am concerned that patients under
18 years old will no longer be able to receive expert care at the Weight Disorde
r Unit at Flinders Medical Centre.Ê I am aware that patients feel the Women and Ch
ildrenÕs Hospital is currently inadequately resourced to deal with adolescent eati
ng disorder patients.Ê I am also concerned that asking adolescents to change treat
ment providers when they turn 18 is against best practice in adolescent medicine
.Ê3. I am concerned that if Ward 4GP closes it risks destroying other integra
l treatment services at Flinders Medical Centre including the Centre for Anxiety
and Related Disorders which is a specialised anxiety and gambling treatment ser
vice.Ê I am also concerned that 4GP beds will be closed which are used for treatme
nt of patients with complex and co-morbid medical and psychiatric conditions whi
Ichamarerequesting
often notthat
appropriate
the Minister
for treatment
refrain from
in the
making
Margaret
plansTobin
to close
Centre.
ward 4GP be
ds and consider a comprehensive review of the Statewide bed plan and its effect
on the patients cared for on 4GP, the services contained on ward 4GP and the dan
gers ofhere]
Yours
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Tobin Centre.