May 02, 2022
Mental health units too quick to seclude
The Chief Ombudsman says health authorities don’t seem to be taking his criticism of seclusion in mental health units seriously.
Judge Peter Boshier has reported on follow-up visits to Te Toki Maurere in Whakatāne and Te Whare Maiangiangi in Tauranga which found the number of incidents of seclusion was increasing, although the duration was shortening.
That’s despite Bay of Plenty District Health Board setting up a Reducing Seclusion project team.
He says the fact Māori patients are disproportionately put in seclusion makes it a treaty issue.
“You can’t just say that you’re taking steps to reduce seclusion, You’ve got to do it. And yet we find in the case of Te Whare Maiangiangi, Māori were 40 per cent of admissions but 57 per cent of seclusion events related to Māori. That’s not good enough,” he says.
Judge Boshier says seclusion is a serious intervention with no therapeutic benefit and potentially harmful effects on patients.