Oakley E.C.T. procedures to be changed

Press, 30 June 1982, Page 16

Oakley E.C.T. procedures to be changed

PA Auckland Patients who have had electro-convulsive . (shock) therapy at Oakley Hospital will in future be observed continuously until recovery from the treatment, the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board has announced. Dr Frank Rutter said there will also be changes to the prescribing and ordering of drugs. The changes follow an inquiry by the board investigations committee into the death of an Oakley Hospital patient, Mr Michael Watene, in February. Early in June the Auckland Coroner, Mr Allan Copeland, found that Mr Watene died because Oakley staff had failed to maintain adequate observation of him after he had been given E.C.T. Dr Rutter said recommendations made by the committee and approved, by the board were:

• That the medical superintendent of Oakley, Dr P. P. E. Savage, be instructed to strengthen the system for recording prescriptions and drugs. New drug order and recording sheets would be issued to the hospital.

• Dr Savage and the principal nurse would be instructed to review proce-

dures with the aim of ensuring a designated nurse maintained continuous observation of patients after shock treatment.

Dr Savage would be asked to report on the changes in one month, Dr Rutter said.

Resuscitation equipment at the hospital was found to be adequate as it was used. Dr Rutter said, and the people who used it had had adequate training.

The central committee of psychiatrists was also being J asked to review the use of shock therapy in the board’s ” hospitals. f

Asked about, the future of ;■ Oakley, with the retirement of Dr Savage in March next year, Dr Rutter said the / board would await recom- ? mendations from an adyjsory i committee on. psychiatric services which had set up a working party to look at the :. future of the board’s forensic psychiatry services. , J

When asked whether he ? was unhappy with the running of the hospital, Dr Rutter said “clearly it . must ■ be seen with the issue of.’ these instructions we believe* there are areas that should ; be strengthened and we have;* given instructions accord-5 ingly.”. . i