Psych unit's failures 'disgraceful'

A Queenstown policeman whose wife was killed by their son says it is disgraceful that mental health authorities did not give enough attention to his fears that the youth might harm the family.

Mark Burton, aged 20, stabbed his mother to death and set fire to the family home on March 31, the day after he was discharged by Southland Hospital's mental health unit after living alone for a week in an Invercargill flat on trial release.

A High Court jury last month found Burton, a paranoid schizophrenic, not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, and he is now confined to a secure mental institution.

Trevor Burton wrote to the mental health unit while his son was a patient warning that the lives of Mark's mother and younger brother would be at risk if he was released into the community.

But Mark was released from hospital to a flat where he lived on his own. Social workers visiting him noted he was drinking heavily and it was known he had attempted to contact drug dealers.

A clinical review published yesterday criticises the way the case was treated.

It found there was no evidence family concerns were adequately explored or recorded, and there did not appear to be any in-depth discussion with the family about ongoing treatment.

Mr Burton yesterday condemned the way his son's case had been handled. He was not surprised the report found his concerns appeared to have been all but ignored by the unit.

"We suspected it but now it's been confirmed. Disgraceful is the most apt word," he said. Southland District Health Board said yesterday that it had already implemented some changes recommended in the review and all would be implemented by the end of next month.

But Mr Burton said: "If things were not already in existence then it's blooming incomprehensible.

"Ultimately it doesn't matter what systems are there and what procedures are there, it all relies on people, and I believe this thing happened because certain individuals have failed to do their job.

"This report has not closed a chapter for us ... All we want is accountability and we want it sooner rather than later."

The review, by Wellington consultant psychiatrist Bridget Taumoepeau, found a community mental health team had a good understanding of Mark Burton's illness, degree of disability and clinical needs. But in the ward, while he was an inpatient, there was little evidence that risks were assessed, recorded or understood.

She said the assessment of needs and risks during Burton's stay as an inpatient did not even meet minimum standards laid out in Ministry of Health guidelines. Discharge plans were "very brief" and did not include a review of symptoms, possible risks, follow-up details and so on, but focused on accommodation.

"The discharge of Mr Burton to an unsupervised flatting situation while his symptoms were not well controlled seems unwise, particularly in light of the fact that the decision was made without reference to possible ongoing risks," Dr Taumoepeau said.

The health board's mental health patient services manager, Nicki Kitson, said the tragedy had affected every member of its mental health team. "On behalf of the mental health service, I am truly sorry for the pain and suffering being experienced by the Burton family."

- NZPA