2319. Hon Alison Xamon to the minister representing the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the governments’ new strategies to respond to and reduce the rate of sexually transmitted infections in Western Australia, and I ask:
(a) are all prisoners routinely offered testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI)/blood borne viruses (BBV);
(b) if no to (a), why not;
(c) for each prison and Banksia Hill Detention Centre:
(i) how many prisoners/detainees were tested in 2018–19; and
(ii) how many prisoners/detainees were treated for STI/BBV in 2018–19;
(d) has the Department of Justice undertaken any co-operative work with WA Health to tackle rising STI/BBV infection rates in Western Australia;
(e) if yes to (d), please advise what work has been done; and
(f) if no to (d), why not?
Hon Stephen Dawson replied:
(a) Yes. All prisoners entering custodial facilities in WA are routinely offered testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and blood borne viruses (BBVs). All testing is voluntary. Any prisoner who declines screening on admission may subsequently request testing at any other time, for example in response to an at risk event, or if they have been advised they may have an infection. Screening/testing is available at all adult prisons as well as Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) (i) 5973 for STIs and 4607 for BBVs. In the 12 month period between July 2018 and June 2019 the Department has had 245 patients commence treatment for Hepatitis C.
(ii) The Department does not collate this data in the requested format and it would be an onerous and time consuming task for the data to be obtained manually.
(d) Yes.
(e) The Department of Justice participates in State and National committees dedicated to surveillance and reporting of STIs/BBVs. WA Health resources aimed at increasing awareness of STIs are made available to prisoners. All clinicians are advised when treatment guidelines are updated.
(f) Not applicable.