4.5.37.2 Psychiatric inpatient admissions
A psychiatric inpatient is defined as a worker who is admitted into a private hospital for the purpose of undertaking a specific treatment program for a work-related An injury/disease is work related if it arose out of or in the course of employment and the scope of employment. injury or illness.
The Agent must provide the admitting private psychiatric hospital or treating medical practitioner with prior approval.
Note: Prior approval is not required for admission requests relating to emergency treatment (see below: Emergency Psychiatric Inpatient Admissions).
Emergency psychiatric treatment is defined as the admission of a worker who because of a work-related injury or illness is:
- at risk The probability of the worker not returning to work is known as the risk or risk factor. For example: if a worker is likely to return to work, the claim is categorised as low risk. of self-harm or harm to others
- experiencing extreme subjective distress
- causing extreme distress amongst their families or care givers
- admitted into a private hospital as an emergency for the purpose of undertaking a specific psychiatric treatment program.
Prior approval is not required for admission requests for emergency treatment. However, some private hospitals may seek prior approval and if so, the Agent must provide prior approval without delay.
If notified of a serious and immediate threat (a worker threatening suicide, self-harm or harm to others) follow the process detailed in section High risk workers.
Agents should ensure they obtain discharge reports after an admission.
Approve emergency psychiatric inpatient admissions
If a request for emergency psychiatric treatment is made and the treatment would prevent harm to the life of the worker or others:
- where the request is for 14 days or less, accept liability for the requested number of days
- where the request is for more than 14 days, accept liability for 14 days and refer the file to WorkSafe’s Clinical Panel
- where the request is for an extension and the total number or admission days with the extension exceed 14, refer the file to WorkSafe’s Clinical Panel (except where the request is for an extension of three days or less).
For all emergency psychiatric inpatient admissions requests refer to: High risk workers.