Except: Inspection approach
From 30 October to 3 November 2023, a team of seven inspectors, whom I have authorised to carry out visits to places of detention under COTA on my behalf, made an announced five-day visit to the Kauri and Totara Units at the Mason Clinic. The Mason Clinic is operated by Auckland Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services (the Service).
During their visit to the Mason Clinic, inspectors were guided by my expectations for the conditions and treatment of tāngata whai i te ora in health and disability places of detention.
Inspectors were also informed by the recommendations made following my inspection of six units at the Mason Clinic in November 2020. Of relevance to my current inspection, I made five recommendations to Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ), one recommendation to the Service, 21 recommendations to the Kauri Unit and 13 recommendations to the Totara Unit.
As my report on this 2020 inspection was finalised and provided to the Service very shortly before my 2023 inspection, and I received Health NZ’s response to this in January 2024, I have not yet assessed whether these recommendations have or have not been achieved (as would be my usual practice when returning to a previously inspected facility). Instead, the Service’s progress will continue to be monitored in due course.
In the course of the inspection, inspectors gathered and assessed a range of information, including documents, interviews with a number of people, and observation of Service activities.
Before leaving the Mason Clinic, inspectors met with the Service’s Senior Leadership to outline their initial observations. They then continued to remotely analyse the significant amount of information provided by the Service. Further information was also requested in relation to a Serious Incident Review report, which I received in September 2024.
My staff also met remotely with senior staff from the Service on 8 November 2024. We appreciated this opportunity to hear about the progress of the construction of the new facility E Tū Wairua Hinengaro, receive updates on the Service’s model of care, and discuss the implementation of Safe Practice Effective Communication (SPEC) training.