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Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is welcoming an impending review and closure of a troubled mental health ward in Dunedin.
Yesterday, the Office of the Ombudsman released its provisional statement on its inspection of Wakari Hospital’s Ward 10a.
It declared the ward totally unfit for purpose, and said some of the sights the inspectors witnessed were the ‘‘worst they had ever seen’’. Ombudsman John Allen has called for a wide-ranging review into the ward and general practices at Wakari hospital.
Meanwhile, Health New Zealand has decided to begin the process of closing Ward 10a as a result.
Mr Doocey welcomed the news.
‘‘In my view, based on the information I have received, there was no other option other than to close the ward.’’
On Thursday, Mr Doocey met senior officials from the Ministry of Health and HNZ who informed him of the board’s decision to close Ward 10a.
‘‘The findings released by the ombudsman are beyond concerning,’’ he said.
‘‘I agree that every New Zealander has the right to receive care in a safe environment, and patients with intellectual disabilities deserve to be kept safe and treated with dignity and respect.’’
Mr Doocey welcomed HNZ’s decision to additionally consider further legal options to ensure the concerns are fully examined, including any system failures.
‘‘My expectation is that the investigation needs to look at the allegations of ill treatment made by the ombudsman and whether the decision to address these at a local level without escalation contributed to the findings of serious failures.’’
Mr Doocey found the ombudsman’s findings particularly concerning because they identify issues that had been raised repeatedly over a number of years, including an inspection in May 2021, which identified significant concerns about the ward’s physical environment, patient safety and staff safety.
‘‘I expect Health New Zealand to urgently address the issues that have been identified, not just at Wakari, but nationally.
‘‘If similar improvements are needed elsewhere in the country, I expect Health New Zealand to act with urgency.’’
Patient safety must always come first, he said.