MP attacks mental health unit security at Wellington Hospital

Recommendations made after the death of Chad Buckle did not stop another patient leaving Wellington Hospital's mental health unit to hurt himself, National health spokeswoman Lynda Scott says.

Mr Buckle, 26, a paranoid schizophrenic under compulsory treatment, was found dead in the grounds of Wellington College last July 7. His care was later reviewed and 20 recommendations were made.

Among them was that patients be monitored hourly, and a single monitored entry/exit be established.

But on Saturday a man left the unit and jumped six storeys from a building.

His was the third security lapse at Ward 27 in 15 months including Mr Buckle's case. The other happened when a patient was mauled by a tiger after walking out of the ward in February last year and climbing into the animal's cage at the zoo.

Wellington Hospital staff have said the mental health unit was overcrowded, with patients sleeping in lounges, when the man slipped out of the unit and jumped from the building last weekend. He was taken to hospital with head and spinal injuries.

Dr Scott said the latest case raised questions over whether the recommendations had been fully implemented as Health Minister Annette King had promised.

"Without knowing the details of what has happened, it appears you have something that is very similar to a previous case so you have got to [ask] have all the recommendations been implemented?"

However, Capital Coast Health chief executive Margot Mains said all the recommendations, mainly relating to documentation, communication and security, had been implemented.

She confirmed the ward now had one controlled exit and also said there were security cameras.

"We have in fact gone further than those recommendations and are actioning a number of other improvements to Ward 27, including extra resourcing to improve quality, education, systems and processes in the ward," she said in a statement.

Ms Mains also said early reports that the unit was understaffed were inaccurate.

"Initial inquiries indicate there were in fact 11 fully qualified registered nurses looking after 32 patients in Ward 27 at the time of the incident. This is, in clinical terms, a very good staffing-to-patient ratio."

Ms Mains praised staff and said they acted "within seconds" as the patient started to leave the unit and "showed bravery in attempting to prevent the incident occurring".

She did not say how he was able to leave, and said no further comment would be made until an independent investigation was done.

Meanwhile, Dr Scott said acute unit overcrowding was an ongoing problem. "I think that [the hospital staff concerns] demonstrate once again that we don't have enough acute beds, nor enough medium-term rehab beds for people to be moved onto when their acute condition reduces a bit."

- NZPA