Waikato DHB agrees to mediation with family of Nicky Stevens who died while in Waikato DHB care

Jane Stevens' son Nicky Stevens died while in compulsory care at the Waikato DHB's mental health unit in 2015. Photo / File

The family of Nicky Stevens are buoyed with news Waikato District Health Board has had a change of heart over mediation talks in relation to findings over his death.

Earlier this year, former Waikato DHB chairwoman Sally Webb axed discussions with parents Dave Macpherson and Jane Stevens after Coroner Wallace Bain found their son's death was "avoidable".

Nicholas Taiaroa Macpherson Stevens was a patient under compulsory care at Waikato Hospital's mental health unit, the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre, when he was allowed out on unescorted leave against his parents' express direction in March 2015.

His body was found in the Waikato River three days later.

Coroner Bain said Nicky's death could have been avoided if his parents had been listened to and that the young man's care fell "well short of what he and his parents would have expected".

When the whānau asked for an apology and compensation, Waikato DHB interim chief executive Derek Wright and Webb said the DHB's insurers had complained to the Solicitor-General about "procedural concerns" during the June 2018 inquest by Bain.

Since then Wright has resigned and Webb left after the DHB board was sacked by Health Minister Dr David Clark in May.

Commissioner Karen Poutasi has agreed the DHB will participate in mediation with Macpherson, Stevens and their son Tony Stevens.

Poutasi has met the family twice over the past two months, and agreed to enter mediation talks to be conducted by an independent mediator in Hamilton on July 25.

Jane Stevens said: "We are pleased that the new commissioner has agreed to our request for mediation

"The appalling decision by the previous DHB leadership to try and overturn the Coroner's findings extended and worsened the hurt our family has gone through.

"We hope that we might be near the end of this awful legal journey, and be able to start looking to the future."

Stevens said the family is seeking a "full an unequivocal apology" for the DHB's part in Nicky's death, based on the Coroner's findings; an agreed and appropriate means of remembering Nicky's life as well as costs imposed on the family.