Health Minister Michael Ferguson is failing vulnerable young people by blatantly misleading Tasmanians about the development of so called 'dedicated' adolescent mental health units in Launceston and Hobart.
In a Media Release dated 30 May, the Health Minister stated:
"To be clear – the K block facility is designed and built as a dedicated Adolescent Mental Health Unit, and the Ward 4K Redevelopment will provide a new 36-bed contemporary facility, which will include Tasmania's first dedicated Adolescent Mental Health Unit."
However, the Minister has now admitted that not all of the beds in these 'dedicated' adolescent mental health units would be exclusively for mental health patients.
Labor Leader Rebecca White said it was clear the Minister would say anything in order to save his political skin.
"The truth is that Launceston and Hobart will not have dedicated adolescent mental health units and MinisterFerguson has been caught out deliberately misleading Tasmanians," Ms White said.
"The Minister now needs to set the record straight and be honest to those young people in urgent need of mental health care.
"We are calling on the Minister to reveal exactly how many of the 16 adolescent beds at the RHH and eight at the LGH will be available for mental health and when they will be open."
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
