Teen's 5-day wait in hospital emergency department prompts official apologies

Western Australia's health minister and the head of the country's health service have issued apologies to a teenager who endured an almost five-day wait in an emergency department for a specialized adolescent mental health unit bed. The incident involved a then-17-year-old who had attempted suicide twice before being taken to Busselton Health Campus, located 220 kilometers south of Perth.

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She just felt like, 'What's the point of being here? We're not going to get help, so why are we still here?'

Psychiatric nurses identified the teen as high-risk, yet she remained in limbo for 116 hours. Her mother, Tara, recounted the teen's despair, questioning the point of staying when help seemed unavailable. Tara struggled to convince her daughter to remain, finding it difficult to believe in the prospect of receiving help herself.

Eventually, the teenager was transferred to the Joondalup Mental Health Unit in Perth's northern suburbs. Mark Holloway, director of medical services for the WA Country Health Service, sent a letter to the family expressing a "sincere apology" for the delay and distress. He admitted that the Busselton family's experience was not unique, stating that "prolonged boarding of patients in emergency departments while awaiting mental health beds has become increasingly common."

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I was trying to convince her that we need to stay and this is where we get help, but I was struggling towards the end to believe that myself.

Dr. Holloway attributed the situation, particularly in the Southwest region, to a reduction in acute inpatient mental health beds since August 2025. This reduction, part of the Bunbury Regional Hospital redevelopment, decreased capacity from 23 beds to 11. The Bunbury Regional Hospital houses the South West region's sole acute mental health unit.

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I am truly sorry that we were unable to provide her with timely access to the specialised environment and treatment she required.

Opposition health spokesperson Libby Mettam criticized the government, stating that the avoidable situation highlighted the inadequacy of available beds. She pointed out that the government was aware of the bed closures associated with the Bunbury Regional Hospital development. WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat also apologized for the "unacceptable delay," which occurred shortly before the government opened a new 40-bed adult mental health facility.

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The prolonged boarding of patients in emergency departments while awaiting mental health beds has become increasingly common.