Report on Ward 10A and Helensburgh Cottage, Wakari Hospital published

The Office of the Ombudsman has published its report on Ward 10A and Helensburgh Cottage, Wakari Hospital in Dunedin.

The report relates to visits of the Ombudsman’s OPCAT inspectors to Ward 10A in October last year and March this year.

It outlines our concerns about Ward 10A, including punitive and coercive treatment of people on the ward, as well as the urgent recommendations we made to Health New Zealand and the Ministry of Health.

We acknowledge that both agencies took swift action in response to our concerns and recommendations.  Health New Zealand decided to close Ward 10A to new admissions, and the Ministry of Health has initiated an inquiry into Ward 10A. A full list of responses from both agencies is contained in the report.

Read the report