‘Positive’ action suggested

Press, 10 February 1983, Page 13

‘Positive’ action suggested

PA . Wellington Oakley Hospital cannot provide a health service in keeping with “current psychiatric practice”, a committee of inquiry said yesterday. The committee, set up to investigate procedures at the hospital after the death of a patient there last year, urged the Auckland Hospital. Board !to act “positively" in instituting changes: . It suggested in-’its report that the board shduld end. The isolation of Oakley from ■. the nfepi- stream of psychiatric services' ,in Auckland, and said conditions and resources for. the hospital should be improved; . '<• • Satisfactory standards of care had to be ensured, the committee said. Oakley Hospital comprises two wards of a much larger unit which was divided into Oakley and Carrington -Hospitals. The ’ committee recommended they, be reamalgamated.

However, it did not believe that Oakley should lose its identity entirely and become totally dependent on Carrington Hospital, but have instead its own superintendent. The committee also said the number of patients at Oakley should be reduced. It said it had been told that three patients there at the time of its inquiry had no need, to be retained’ in a hospital at hl! and 94 could be cared, for at other psychiatric hospitals. The committee noted that • Oakley took only male patients and said this was no longer usual — sexes were integrated. “A division of this kind is artificial and does not reflect the integration which exists in the outside world. “It .is hardly likely to be therapeutic and may well •accentuate, the disabilities which, have caused the patients to require confinement to a hospital such. as Oakley.” the report said.