Hospitals defend girl's care

Monika Menartowicz. Photo / Supplied

The parents of a teenage girl who took her own life after repeated attempts to get her into long-term mental health care have complained to the Health and Disability Commissioner about her treatment.

Auckland couple Darius and Ela Menartowicz have filed complaints about two doctors involved in the care of 14-year-old daughter Monika.

The complaints involve a doctor at the Kari Centre at Green Lane Hospital, which provides services for children and adolescents with mental health problems, and another at Starship Children's Hospital's Child and Family Unit (CFU).

Darius said this week he complained because felt his fears about his daughter's mental health were ignored.

"I believe they misdiagnosed my daughter. I believe [the doctors] made professional errors and they should be held accountable."

Monika's body was found near Orakei, Auckland on February 16. In the year before she died police picked her up from railway lines or motorway overbridges three times.

Darius said she also tried to overdose, and once threatened in an online forum to take a gun to school and shoot students and police - before turning the gun on herself.

Her parents had made several requests for her to be committed to a long-term mental health care facility.

The Auckland District Health Board has reviewed Monika's case and concluded her care was "satisfactory and did not contribute to her death".

But two recommendations have been made to "see if care can be enhanced".

ADHB director of mental health services, Dr Clive Bensemann, said there were no issues with the documentation of Monika's case but the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service was considering adapting the process for care-plan documents.

Bensemann said all cases were internally reviewed on a regular basis.

"It has been recommended that the additional complex case reviews involving outside agencies also have a standard timetable in the future. Currently these reviews are done regularly but there is not a formal schedule."

Bensemann said the review findings had been referred to the coroner. An offer had been made to Darius and Ela to discuss it with a senior clinician.

Darius said he had not heard from the ADHB in regards to the review and has no intention of withdrawing his complaint.

"It is completely justified. It's not the care she received I am complaining about, it's the care she did not receive."

Where to go for help

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

* Youthline 0800 376 633
* Lifeline 0800 543 354
* The Lowdown www.thelowdown.co.nz or text 5626 for free
* Kidsline 0800 543 754 (weekdays 4-6pm)
* What's Up 0800 942 8787 (noon-midnight)
* Depression Helpline 0800 111 757