4. SUE BRADFORD (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Does he have any concerns about recent events involving Wellington’s and Auckland’s acute psychiatric units; if so, what is he doing about them?
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Associate Minister of Health) Link to this
I am always concerned to hear of any incidents involving a death that might have been preventable. No physical or mental health service anywhere in the world, of course, is perfect. Some failings within the Auckland system have already been acknowledged, but I am satisfied that, by and large, New Zealand’s services—both physical and mental health services—are improving. In relation to the most recent Wellington case, Capital and Coast District Health Board has assured the Government and the public that cost never plays a part in its treatment decisions around discharge from a mental health service. All of the events that the member refers to have been, or are being, investigated by the district health boards concerned and by other independent agencies, such as the coroner, and, in the case of the Auckland and Christchurch district health boards, by independent external reviewers. Any recommendations that are made will be closely adhered to. What I can say, without going into any detail, is that the details of the particular case in Wellington are more complex than any media report can, or could, do justice to.
Why does the Minister think it is acceptable that 4 years after Capital and Coast District Health Board promised to build a new unit to replace the archaic and inadequate ward 27, the district health board has now announced it will not go ahead with that unit, despite situations like the recent tragic death of Nicole Maconaghie?
I think that part of the reason that ward 27 has not been expanded at this point, or replaced, is that a 10-bed house for people with acute mental illness is due to open in Wellington this year. Some patients will be admitted to the house, reducing pressure on the hospital ward. Capital and Coast District Health Board says that people who need high levels of support will get them in the hospital and will be treated there, and, of course, because of the extra facilities outside in a rehabilitative sense, the pressure is off that ward in comparison with what it once was.
Barbara StewartIs he aware of the statement by Karin Keith from the Wellington Mental Health Consumers Union that Wellington simply does not have enough beds for the acutely mentally ill; if so, would he concede that one solution to that problem would be the further development of such facilities at Kenepuru Hospital?
Will the Minister be taking any action on the situation in Auckland, where ongoing pressure on the overstretched and under-resourced Te Whetu Tawera unit continues to be linked with patient deaths on an ongoing basis and with violence and sexual abuse within the unit itself?
I know that there has been an external review and that that report is now available but is under court injunction. Until such time as the court injunction is removed no public comment is possible, but I am sure that when the report is made public the Government will act on any recommendations in it.
Dr Jonathan Coleman Link to this
Does the Minister stand by the assurance he gave to the Health Committee on 25 June that the full results of the independent reviews into the Auckland and Christchurch acute psychiatric units will be released and acted on before the election; if so, why does he not just get on and release them?
In relation to the Auckland report—as I said in answering the immediately preceding question—as I understand it, that report is under court injunction and cannot be released until the injunction is lifted. In the case of the Christchurch report, I happened to have a meeting with clinicians in the mental health unit in Christchurch last week, and they informed me that they believe the report will be available within a week or so. As far as I know, the Government intends to release the full report and the recommendations will be adhered to.
Does the Minister have any comprehension that regardless of the report that, he says, is under court injunction, there actually is a serious ongoing crisis at Te Whetu Tawera and with the step-down accessibility for patients from that unit, and that that report is going to go nowhere near to addressing it; and will the Minister do anything to impress on the Auckland District Health Board the seriousness of the situation and the fact that major changes need to be made up there, for the benefit of both staff and patients affected by the ongoing crisis?
As I said, there has been an acknowledgment by the Auckland District Health Board that there are deficiencies in the system. I cannot comment on the report because, as I said, it is under court injunction and I have not seen it. But when the report is available, I am sure that the Government will act as fast as it can on its recommendations and ensure that the improvements that may well be necessary are made.