Staff are calling for action and empathy in response to a troubled ward at Wakari Hospital. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery Staff at an under-fire Wakari Hospital ward say they work with integrity and professionalism in ‘‘highly challenging situations’’ and patients will suffer if the ward closes. The staff said they went ‘‘above and beyond’’ for patients in Ward 10a while facing the threat of serious violence and working in an ageing facility that was not fit for purpose. Political heat turned up on Wakari Hospital They hit back at ‘‘misleading’’ reports of patient mistreatment which Health New Zealand (HNZ) highlighted as a key reason Ward 10a had been shut to new patients. ‘‘For over five years as a registered nurse on the ward I have witnessed staff consistently go above and beyond to provide safe, therapeutic, and person-centred care despite significant environmental limitations and personal risk. ‘‘Personally, I have experienced a headlock and strangulation incident, as well as back and knee injuries sustained during restraint interventions.’’ The responses from staff feature in a joint letter from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, the Public Service Association and the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists unions to HNZ and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey. Staff were ‘‘unequivocal’’ about their concerns for Ward 10a. ‘‘The infrastructure, facilities and physical environment of Ward 10a are wholly unfit for purpose. The consequences for the health, safety and risk of adverse clinical outcomes for tangata whai ora [patients] and staff are dire due to the state of Ward 10a. ‘‘Refurbishment was a sub-optimal solution, and that message has been delivered by staff and third-party investigators for over a decade. A complete rebuild is the most equitable solution.’’ HNZ has recently said concern over patient treatment was part of the reason it had closed Ward 10a to new admissions. But contributors point to the professionalism despite the massive staff turnover and high-pressured environment. ‘‘These incidents reflect the realities of working in this specialised area of nursing and demonstrate the level of commitment required to provide care for this vulnerable population.’’ Several reports, including an ombudsman’s visit, have raised concerns about the ward’s ‘‘volatile environment’’ and said it was not fit for purpose. The letter addresses these findings by saying that staff had asked for improvements for years. ‘‘As union partners, we would have happily engaged in a meaningful process to take a hard look at the problems on 10a and other wards at Wakari, and work with leadership to develop real solutions. ‘‘If 10a was never going to be fit for purpose, we could have joined together to advocate for a safe inpatient unit to be built per the ombudsman’s 2022 recommendations.’’ The unions also expressed concerns about where patients would go if the ward was shut, ‘‘leaving some of the most vulnerable people in Aotearoa without access to care required for their level of need close to their whānau’’. ‘‘That feedback from staff should have been a clear warning sign that a refurbishment and temporary co-location was a risky and inadequate Band-Aid solution, at best.’’ HNZ has declined to release the costs of the planned upgrades, citing commercial sensitivity. The letter calls for more information. ‘‘Any decision to close or redesign this service should be supported by robust evidence showing that the proposed changes will deliver equal or better outcomes for service users and will maintain the safety, quality, and specialist expertise currently in place. ‘‘Without clear evidence, there is a significant risk that the needs of people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviours, as well as the wellbeing of the staff who care for them, will be adversely affected.’’
