‘Intimidation and bullying’ accusations by staff at hospital
Ministry of Health staff have been accused of ‘‘intimidating’’ and ‘‘bullying’’ behaviour by Canterbury clinicians who advised they could not admit a person to a secure unit.
The accusations were made following a June teleconference regarding people subject to compulsory care legislation and placed in the secure Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation (AT&R) unit at Christchurch’s Hillmorton Hospital.
Correspondence released under the Official Information Act (OIA) has revealed significant tensions between the Ministry and the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) over its ability to accept admissions.
The CDHB has repeatedly raised safety and staffing concerns associated with the unit, while the Ministry has emphasised the lack of capacity around the country and its need to access secure beds.
CDHB chief executive David Meates relayed the clinicians’ concerns about the ‘‘overtly forceful’’ behaviours to a senior Ministry staffer in July, noting it was not the first time these issues had been raised with him.
‘‘We are faced with balancing contractual requirements with the practical reality of keeping both patients and staff safe,’’ he said. ‘‘With the behaviours and attitudes that have been demonstrated [by Ministry staff] it now places the organisation in the position of having to now ask whether we should in fact be continuing to provide this service.’’
CDHB specialist mental health service general manager Toni Gutschlag said this week the issue had been resolved, while a representative for the Ministry said it was working to ensure its relationship with the CDHB was respectful and positive.
The CDHB is one of a limited number of DHBs the Ministry contracts to provide secure beds for people subject to the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act.
The Act provides courts with compulsory care and rehabilitation options for people who have an intellectual disability and who are charged with or convicted of an offence.
While the CDHB had capacity at the time, May emails show senior clinicians, including service clinical director Dr Jane Hughes, expressed deep concern about a proposed admission to the AT&R due to safety issues.
‘‘I do not feel it is ethical to proceed with an admission when we believe it would be unsafe,’’ she said, before adding if there was no alternative it would represent a ‘‘system wide failure’’.