Psychwatch New Zealand – An Introduction

Greetings,

My name is Steve Taylor, and I am the Convener of Psychwatch New Zealand. I am a double degree qualified Counsellor, Supervisor, and Mediator who works in Private Practice in Auckland, New Zealand (www.24-7.org.nz). I have worked in the helping profession for 12 years, and have been in private practice for the last 6 years.

In my industry, I have become incensed at seeing New Zealand mental health staff, counsellors, and care workers not being held accountable for negligent and grossly incompetent practice, such practice at times resulting in the unnecessary and ultimately preventable deaths of vulnerable people, leading to heartbroken and desperate families.

On 2/6/08, I appeared on the TV1 “Breakfast” show, commenting on the woefully inadequate mental health services that exist in New Zealand at state funded level:

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/1884428

Since the show aired, and as a result of the overwhelmingly positive response I have had to me speaking out about this issue, I have decided to set up Psychwatch New Zealand as a “name and shame” site, listing specific cases and mental health staff whose service to consumers and their families breaches the Health & Disability Code of Practice.

The Office of the Health & Disability Commissioner has recently released a statement informing the New Zealand public that healthcare providers who provide care that breaches the Health and Disability Code of Practice will be named and shamed:

http://www.hdc.org.nz/publications/namingprovidersconsultation/introduction

Unfortunately, the Health & Disability Commissioner will only name an individual after three breaches of the HDC Code of Practice. Psychwatch New Zealand believes that this decision leaves far too much room for damage to be done by any healthcare provider, who can simply slip back into the anonymity of a “Healthcare Team”.

Psychwatch New Zealand is seen as a supplementary service to consumers and families who are currently fighting to either secure reasonable access to mental health services, or those consumers and families who may be fighting for justice against what can seem at times as a system almost impregnable to meaningful accountability.

Consumers and families of New Zealand mental health services who wish to list their specific experience on Psychwatch New Zealand are now invited to submit their story by email to 24-7@maxnet.co.nz.

While Psychwatch New Zealand will be publishing the names of the mental health service provider, the nature of the mental health intervention received, and the names and roles of the staff involved in the care plan, Psychwatch NZ recommends that the names of specific consumers who receive or who have received mental health services remains anonymous.

If the Ministry of Health or the Health & Disability Commissioner wish to follow up a specific case profiled on this site, Psychwatch New Zealand will first secure your consent to release your contact details, and then will invite either the Ministry or the Commissioner to contact you directly.

Steve Taylor,

Convener,

Psychwatch New Zealand