Independent review of Shaun Michaels Dunk’s mental health care in days before he allegedly murdered Julie Seed released

A long-awaited review into the mental health care of a man in the days before he allegedly murdered an Aussie mum-of-two has been handed down.

The Royal Adelaide Hospital’s emergency department cannot deliver adequate care for mental health patients, a review into the care of a man who allegedly murdered an Adelaide mother and seriously injured her colleague has found.

The independent review into the mental health care provided to Shaun Michaels Dunk – before he allegedly stabbed real estate agent Julie Seed to death and tried to kill her colleague Susan Scardigno – was launched after it was revealed he had been released from hospital two days before the attack.

It is alleged Dunk attacked the women inside the Plympton office of Real Estate Agents Group on December 20, 2023.

He has been charged with Ms Seed’s murder and the attempted murder of Ms Scardigno.

An independent review into Shaun Michaels Dunk’s mental health care treatment before he allegedly murdered Julie Seed last year has been released. Picture: 9 NEWS Adelaide

The review, undertaken by Dr Sophie Davison, the chief medical officer for mental health in Western Australia, and Associate Professor Sandra Keppich-Arnold, found the RAH’s emergency department was “not designed or resourced to deliver timely, effective, and quality care for mental health consumers”.

“The ED is not an appropriate environment to accommodate an acutely unwell mental health patient waiting for a bed, particularly for lengthy periods of time,” the review said.

The review found no individual clinician’s assessment of Dunk fell “below an acceptable standard or not being justifiable at that point of time with the information available to them”.

The review made six recommendations to the state government including reviewing the Central Adelaide Health Network’s (CALHN) emergency department model of care, which further includes a review of its mental health staffing, responsibilities, team structures and functions.

It also recommended a service level agreement between the RAH and the Urgent Mental Health Care Centre be established, along with a review of CALHN’s risk assessment and safety planning policy – prioritising mental health reviews and reviews of patients transferred to non-mental health wards while detained under the Mental Health Act.

Health Minister Chris Picton said all of the review’s recommendations would be implemented.

“I want these to happen as soon as possible,” he said.

Health Minister Chris Picton said the review’s recommendations would be implemented as soon as possible. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Mr Picton said there could be changes to the state’s Mental Health Act following the review.

Premier Peter Malinauskas, Attorney-General Kyam Maher, Chief Psychiatrist Dr John Brayley, SA Health chief executive Dr Robyn Lawrence and Mr Picton met with Ms Seed’s family and Ms Scardigno on Friday to discuss the review.

Ms Seed’s fiance Chris Smith said he was reviewing the recommendations.

Dunk appeared in the Supreme Court on Monday, when he smiled and laughed during a hearing on his mental competence.

The court heard an outstanding toxicology report could prove key to determining whether Dunk stands trial for the murder of Ms Seed and attempted murder of Ms Scardigno.

In the days after Ms Seed’s alleged murder, The Advertiser revealed Dunk had been released from a government-backed mental health facility on the morning of the attack.

It was also revealed police had detained Dunk several times in the weeks before the attack, including on December 5 when he told officers he feared he could hurt someone and was experiencing hallucinations.