Community care vital—Judge

Press, 5 April 1989, Page 9

Community care vital —Judge

Developing medium-secure psychiatric units without corresponding community care services was a recipe for disaster, said the chairman of last year’s commission of inquiry into psychiatric services, Judge Ken Mason, in Christchurch yesterday. The inquiry report strongly endorsed the need to develop community psychiatric services and to provide secure and semi-secure facilities for psychiatric offenders. The Canterbury Hospital Board’s support for a proposal to build the secure psychiatric unit at Sunnyside was in line with the report’s recommendations, said Judge Mason. It was vital that the unit should be a stand-alone facility, but a building without the corresponding development of community care services would be a recipe for disaster. He said he had admiration for individuals and organisations in Christchurch who had already provided a positive approach to psychiatric services and mental health care. In helping to prepare the report, he had seen evidence of a progressive approach in Christchurch, including the support networks helped by Sunnyside Hospital and day care centres, many of which were run by volunteers. Comcare Trust in Christchurch was an embryo example of a similar successful private British scheme to provide housing, which had previously mainly been provided by area health boards. Initial Government funding was essential for any development of the report’s recommendations, because area health boards would have no prospect of being able to afford them, said Judge Mason. Funding for recognised voluntary groups should also be distributed by area health and hospital boards where appropriate in recognition of the good work they were doing. " He was reluctant to lay all the responsibility for funding on the Government, however; a great deal could be achieved without a big capital outlay, but by effective management Judge Mason was invited to Christchruch by the Canterbury Association For Mental Health. He wisited Sunnyside and addressed a public meeting, -i