National’s political radar has been noticeably out of synch in a number of high profile areas recently (what Housing Crisis?; what Tax Haven?), and another that is more stealthily creeping up on them is the growing damage that well-publicised calamities in the mental health sector are causing to their well-cultivated image of being on top of health issues.
A critical mass is growing; of families and communities demanding answers regarding mistreatment of vulnerable mentally ill people; of mainstream media recounting both a series of horror stories about individual cases, and a raft of damning statistics about systemic failures; of staff and volunteers working within the system exposing gross funding and staffing shortages; and social media campaigns highlighting and linking every failure in the system.
The stock response of Health Yes Minister Jonathan Coleman has been to repeat the same mantra used for some years; there is no systemic failure, we have increased mental health funding; it is the responsibility of the DHB’s, there is no need for an enquiry, etc, etc; whatever words his Ministry of Health overlords prepare for him to parrot. In other words, a man, a Government and a bureaucracy all in denial; a naked Emperor claiming he was fully clothed.
With one in five people in New Zealand experiencing mental health issues at some stage in their lives, and many, many families touched by the record current level of 567 suicides annually, it is not hard to see why the horror stories and calls for accountability and action are falling on fertile ground.
When Granny Herald reports on its front page that the Ombudsman has documented 60 cases under the Crimes of Torture Act from the last 5 years of “cruel, inhumane or degrading” treatment of patients in mental health and disability facilities, it is odds on that ‘middle New Zealand’ is starting to take notice of the issue.
There is a growing call for a complete review, or Commission of Enquiry, into this country’s mental health services – a sort of third ‘Mason Enquiry’. Families and elements in the community have been calling for this for some years, and ‘eminent’ types like Professor Max Abbott, names like Mike King, unions and the Green Party are joining the chorus.
It is a relatively easy task to chuck a mill or two at a wonder cancer cure drug and quiet the media ‘noise’, but its an altogether harder task to find solutions in the mental health sector.
These surely must include far greater involvement of community and family at a primary care level, supported by co-ordination and education resources; better resourced and better led institutions for those who that is appropriate for; a shift away from drug and restraint-oriented treatment towards more wholistic care; and importantly a cultural power-shift away from the self-important psychiatric/medical profession towards one where trained professionals work alongside, and in partnership with, families and communities.
When our son Nicky died 16 months ago while under the compulsory care of Waikato DHB, after dramatic failures in both the health and police sectors, our family was devastated. We could see what caused this situation to come about in our case; but what we didn’t fully appreciate, until afterwards, was how widespread these problems were and how many other families and communities were battling with the same issues. We have joined forces with others in similar situations to link with and support each other, to promote transparency and accountability in the mental health sector, and to fight for change – preferably driven from the bottom up.
Dave Macpherson is a mental health advocate after his son died while in mental health care.
Excellent work Dave; I concur wholeheartedly. I personally know of at least one case of direct torture by the psychiatric establishment, that has yet to come to the news.
And remember, these few cases are the ones that we hear about! That means there are countless other cases, that have not been brought forward, that have not been given light in the public eye. Furthermore, those with severe mental health difficulties may not understand their own difficulties through the conventional establishment lense, and are extremely unlikely able to access the kinds of resources needed to bring their experiences to light, largely because of the general trivializing of the mainstream to those with mental health difficulties.
Anyone interested in the massive corruption of the psychiatric establishment would do well to take a look at MIA every now and then:
http://www.madinamerica.com/
… which exposes the fallacies, power abuses, and massive out-right industry lies in the area.
Dave it is true,
This Junta is fast drugging all of us from youth for temper control to the infirmed and elderly for alziemers to depression and other illness, while allowing drugs like P to flourish and it seems to me that they want to hasten the lives of many with a care in the world.
They have alone legalised their insidious form of genocide upon us all.
I am really sorry to hear about your son’s death Dave. It must be an impossibly difficult thing to have to deal with.
So brave of you to band with other families to take action and to write on this blog. Thank you.
It’s also important to understand that the HDC is an industry revolving door.
04 March 2013. “Can we trust the Health and Disability Commissioner’s independence?”. (Includes information about now-previous deputy-HDC Theo Baker, who had extremely protectionist industry ties).
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/health-and-disability-commissioner-can-we-trust-in-hdc-independence/
Controversy over Anthony Hill’s appointment as Health and Disability Commissioner; “Independence of Commissioner Paramount” – written by former HDC Complaints Assessor. 21 Dec 2011.
http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/opinion/191661/independence-commissioner-paramount
Tony Ryall, then-National Party Minister of Health, appoints deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Rose Wall. Rose Wall is listed as having worked for Richmond Services, and Capital & Coast DHB. 1 August, 2013.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-deputy-health-amp-disability-commissioner
(Tony Ryall represented the National Party in the New Zealand Parliament from 1990 to 2014, including Minister of Health from 2008.) Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Ryall
WhaleOil takes aim at Rose Wall for saying “can’t trust Indians”; Wall’s own husband involved in extremely dodgey business tactics, extortion:
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2015/08/rose-hits-the-wall-you-cant-trust-indians/#more-205240
Hmm, most of your links seem ok, but I would be a bit careful with what Whaleoil may “report”. Whether there is enough substance to it may need to show yet, re Ms Wall, but I agree, the HDC has a lot to answer for, but is ducking mighty deep these days.
This is a lying and criminal government, they are pushing mentally ill into participating in trials that are based on questionable “science”, while they say it is all “voluntary”.
At least one scientist challenged the agenda by MSD, the government and Dr David Bratt:
https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/read-the-journal/all-issues/2010-2019/2015/vol-128-no-1425-20-november-2015/6729
“Is the statement that if a person is off work for 70 days the chance of ever getting back to work is 35% justified?”
So they are relying on dodgy or unproved evidence!
More stuff raising questions:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/11/27/msds-selective-and-poor-responses-to-new-oia-requests-on-benefits-advisors-reports-mental-health-and-sole-parent-employment-services/
PDF Version:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/msds-selective-poor-responses-to-new-oia-requests-post-nzsjb-27-11-15.pdf
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/04/10/mental-health-and-sole-parent-employment-services-msd-withholds-o-i-a-information-that-may-prove-their-trials-a-failure/
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/mhes-spes-msd-withholds-o-i-a-info-that-may-prove-trials-a-failure-post-nzsjb-final-14-04-2015.pdf
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/msd-and-dr-david-bratt-present-misleading-evidence-claiming-worklessness-causes-poor-health/
Re Dr Bratt and MSD presenting misleading ‘evidence’:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/msd-dr-bratt-present-misleading-evidence-on-worklessness-and-health-post-09-08-15.pdf
Also worth reading:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/the-medical-appeal-board-how-msd-and-winz-have-secretely-changed-the-process-disadvantaging-beneficiaries/
Link to PDF document offered for downloading:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/the-m-a-b-hearing-process-how-msd-secretly-changed-it-to-further-disadvantage-clients-oficial-post-18-03-15.pdf
We are now presented a Social Security Legislation Rewrite Bill before Parliament, carrying more changes with it, also to amend the principles of the SSA to enable the investment approach so even more experiments can be conducted on sick and disabled on benefits. I recommend people read about it, it is scandalous what is being proposed:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/00DBHOH_BILL68669_1/social-security-legislation-rewrite-bill
Sorry, it is all a bit much, but perhaps the author will find some of all this of interest to further comment on at a later time.
Bring back the mental health commission for a start.
One only needs to see the arrogance of Coleman and complete lack of empathy to know the cost cutting across N.Z.’s health system is corrupt.
When Coleman gives DHB’s across the country the edict to make savings of $160 million, then he alone is responsible for any decision DHB’s are forced to make. The only way to make savings is to cut staff. DHB’s will not stop buying equipment, so when vulnerable people are not attended to by correct staffing, the end result can be heartbreaking.
I know this is not the correct blog to air this but have recently noticed an unnerving trend where the the ministers are hiding behind their ministries when there are systematic failures. The latest was the P.M.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11680537
Key has been protected at least twice with the excuse that he did not know what his own ministry knew ( asleep at the wheel ).
Many other ministers are using this as an out also.
One only needs to see the arrogance of Coleman and complete lack of empathy to know the cost cutting across N.Z.’s health system is corrupt.
When Coleman gives DHB’s across the country the edict to make savings of $160 million, then he alone is responsible for any decision DHB’s are forced to make. The only way to make savings is to cut staff. DHB’s will not stop buying equipment, so when vulnerable people are not attended to by correct staffing, the end result can be heartbreaking.
I know this is not the correct blog to air this but have recently noticed an unnerving trend where the the ministers are hiding behind their ministries when there are systematic failures. The latest was the P.M.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11680537
Key has been protected at least twice with the excuse that he did not know what his own ministry knew ( asleep at the wheel ).
Many other ministers are using this as an out also.
Seems any criminal act or anti social behavoir is always tagged as the person commiting it as ‘mentally unstable’ or needing ‘Psycheriatic help’. I have no doubt there are many that indeed do, but not all! there are genually just bad people out there and their mental faculties are fine when commiting any crime, It seems almost every post on this site seems to think that more money will solve everything…not so, Martyn you must be up to about 20 billion in extra funding so far with your ‘wish list’ if you were in power and of course NOT spending this money (and I have no doubt billions more as we are still a year out from next election) means everyone is a terrible person and the Govt. has no heart, luckilly your views and your regular posters are at the fringe of politics and will never have any power to actually create any meaningful change, otherwise another Venesuala disaster would be on the cards, that Socialist Utopia that has now run out of money despite having such wealth at one time (can I assume this Venesuala socialist failure is again because ‘they did it wrong, and I would do it right’ kinda thing or it’s another big conspiracy and USA and the world bank are to blame?)
Simple mathematics. Not extra money but budgeted money. Your Health minister stated he has increased funding by 300 million in health. He then asks for savings to be made to the tune of 138 million.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11590079
The other notable issue is our ever increasing population, through record immigration. Funding is not issued daily but our population grows by day and thus health needs and services increase.
But sadly “your wrong” by using the statement “any criminal act or anti social behavoir is always tagged as the person commiting it as ‘mentally unstable’ or needing ‘Psycheriatic help’.” You really struggle with any credibility with this generalised statement.
I suggest you go away and do some research and leave us with the knowledge of mental health, knowing that funding is a huge impost on mental health. When clinicians have 42 clients on their caseload and the critical ceiling for safe work practise is 24, then you’d know there is a shortfall in staffing, one which the Government won’t recognises but one which the Government are happy for the DHB’s to take the heat for.
As long as your happy to continue to vote for neoliberalism “I’m Right”
health will be about profit, not people.
“At the center of both old and new economic liberalism lies:
Self-interest and individualism; segregation of ethical principles and economic affairs, in other words: a process of ‘de-bedding’ economy from society; economic rationality as a mere cost-benefit calculation and profit maximization; competition as the essential driving force for growth and progress; specialization and the replacement of a subsistence economy with profit-oriented foreign trade (‘comparative cost advantage’); and the proscription of public (state) interference with market forces.
Neoliberalism Utopia anyone? Notice the first sentence.
“Self interest and individualism”, pretty much sums up National.
Where is “Venesuala”, I never heard of such a place?
You seem confused, so maybe that explains your bizarre comment here, which does not make any sense.
You’re not ‘Right’ – you are just plainly wrong. Self-opinionated know-it-alls like you should spend a bit of time at the coalface, maybe supporting a family member in one of these institutions, as we did, to see what it is like – before mouthing off. When my son was let out unescorted – to his death – there was NOT ONE REGULAR MEDICAL STAFF MEMBER ON DUTY IN HIS WARD; there were a couple of temporary ‘fill-ins’, who were at lunch at the time, and an untrained ‘Psych Assistant’ was the one who let him out. The staffing shortages that led to this are common across the industry. Rabbiting on about Venezuela only demonstrates your own lack of knowledge.
Hear hear David!
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