August 05, 2021
Seclusion imbalance gets warning from Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman has slammed the treatment of Māori in Whanganui’s Te Awhina acute mental health unit.
Peter Boshier says an inspection last September found Māori were disproportionately represented both in the use of seclusion and the time they spent there.
Gaps in the paperwork also made him suspect seclusion is not being accurately reported.
He made 14 recommendations, 11 of which were accepted by Te Awhina and three partially accepted.
Mr Boshier says in contrast an inspection on the same day of the secure forensic rehabilitation unit on the same hospital grounds, Stanford House, found no seclusion or restraint events since its last inspection in 2017, and the unit was an example of best practice.
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