mental health

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.

Dear Bob – we have noted from your reply that you have not yet been able to bring yourselves to say ‘sorry’.

We have not heard from the Waikato DHB for many months in relation to the ‘serious incident review’ your organisation is required to undertake into the death of our family member Nicky Stevens, while he was in your care as a compulsory inpatient under the Mental Health Act.

The call for an “urgent nationwide enquiry into mental health services” by Green Party Health spokesperson Kevin Hague comes 13 months after the death of our son, Nicky Stevens, while in the ‘care’ of Waikato DHB – and 20 years after the second Mason Report into NZ’s antiquated mental health services.