Another suspected suicide
The death of a patient at Palmerston North Hospital in a suspected suicide last month came just a day after an attempt using the same method, RNZ understands.
The fatal incident happened about 12.45pm on Sunday, February 11.
The man was the latest in a string of deaths in either patients of the hospital's mental health ward or those who have come to hospital with mental health needs, in the past decade, leading to calls for accountability.
RNZ understands the man was admitted to hospital with a self-inflicted injury days before his death, and on February 10 was prevented from attempting to self-harm by the same means that caused his death.
Laws governing the reporting of suspected suicides mean RNZ is unable to say what method the man used. He was not in the hospital's mental health ward.
RNZ understands other hospital patients were left traumatised by what they witnessed or heard on February 11.
In a statement, Te Whatu Ora group manager of operations in MidCentral Sarah Fenwick said although she could confirm the death of a patient on February 11, she was unable to comment on the circumstances, citing the ongoing serious adverse event review process and coronial investigation.
That meant questions from RNZ – including about whether the man had any sort of mental health assessment, what sort of observation he was under, and what if any measures were put in place after his self-harm attempt in hospital – were not answered.
“Patient safety is our top priority and we will be urgently looking at any measures that might help prevent a tragedy of this nature,”Fenwick said.
“We have extended our sincere condolences to the patient's family and loved ones at this tragic time. We have also provided wraparound psychological support for staff members as required.”
A police spokeswoman said the matter was before a coroner and was not being treated as suspicious, but she could not comment further.
Coroner Mark Wilton was investigating.
A decade of deaths
February's incident followed the death of Paul Rowe, who died in June 2021 at Palmerston North Hospital, and also was not in the mental health ward.
Rowe, 58, was admitted with a selfinflicted wound on June 6 that year, but never received a mental health or suicide risk assessment during his stay.
On June 8, he fell or jumped out a ward window and, after it took several hours to find him, he died of his injuries six days later.
His death was also before a coroner. RNZ received permission to publish details of what happened for public interest reasons.
Rowe's sister Lisa Stevenson and her family described February's death as “another clear case of negligence that lies with Palmerston North Hospital”.
“Our family requested 24/7, one-to-one supervision and sectioning under the Mental Health Act for [patients’] own safety while they recover from surgical repair on a general ward and await mental health input and assistance,” she said of people admitted to hospital after self-harming.
“Not having this implemented at the time of Paul's death, and not implementing it after his death, has now resulted in a second and, again, unnecessary death.
“Now two families are grieving an avoidable loss. Our family wanted to ensure no other family would have to go through this and to ensure ongoing safety of presenting patients that have clearly self-harmed and require surgical intervention.”
Stevenson said it was time Palmerston North Hospital was held accountable for the preventable deaths of the past decade, and she and Rowe’s children – Clinton, Jaymie and Steph – were furious to hear of the latest incident.
The hospital’s mental health ward was found unfit for purpose after the 2014 deaths of two patients, Shaun Gray and Erica Hume, in suspected suicides, and a new facility was under construction.
In the past decade there have been further deaths among ward patients, including Karl Pearce's son Braden, 19, in October 2021, in a suspected suicide.
Braden – whose last name RNZ is not using at Pearce's request – had what could be described as a practice run the night before his death, but no information was passed to night shift staff the day he died.
“I'm disappointed that it's happened again while we're waiting for a new ward to still be built after all this time,” Pearce said this week.
Inquests into Gray and Hume's deaths were held in 2022, and coroner Matthew Bates reserved his findings.
Hume's mother Carey said her thoughts went out to the family of the man who died in February, and she hoped the hospital was being open in its communication with them.
“I'd be concerned if [the investigation] identifies repetitive patterns within the hospital system.”
Palmerston North MP Tangi Utikere said his role was to “maintain open lines of communication and regular contact with stakeholders, including Palmerston North Hospital”.
“It's important that our local hospital is resourced to meet the needs of our local community, and I intend to put pressure on the government to ensure Palmerston North Hospital gets its fair share of resources, to help provide patients with the best possible healthcare.”
The then-Labour-led government signed off on the new mental health ward in 2020 and it was expected to open in late 2022. But last year it was revealed there had been a cost blow-out of more than 70% to about $60 million. Construction began last year, and completion of the building was set for mid-2025.
Where to get help:
Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357 Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.