News
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BURIED IN THIS ARTICLE: The Govt is handing over its responsibility for suicide prevention to individual DHBs next month... Not that either of them have been doing a great job recently - but from next month onwards, the Govt Dept responsible (Ministry of Health) will be even less responsible for suicides - even though they are running at twice the rate of traffic accident deaths.Posted: Monday 11 May 2015 -
The Invercargill parents of a mentally unwell woman are supporting a call for a ministerial inquiry into New Zealand's mental health services. Waikato man Dave Macpherson and his family have contacted health minister Dr Jonathan Coleman asking for the inquiry after their son Nicky Stevens, 21, committed suicide two months ago while under the care of the Waikato District Health Board.Posted: Thursday 7 May 2015 -
There are concerns changes to the Coroners Act could lead to the cause of deaths in custody or state care being covered up. A bill before Parliament proposes changing the Act to remove the requirement for an inquest to be held every time a death happens in custody or state care.Posted: Tuesday 5 May 2015 -
My precious son committed suicide after being turned away from hospital, his danger of self-harming tragically underestimated. I had found Chris with multiple self harm injuries from a razor blade before rushing him to hospital - but despite being clearly suicidal they turned my boy away. 11 days later he died.Posted: Tuesday 5 May 2015 -
Suicide prevention helpline Lifeline has told staff they may face redundancy by October after it was unsuccessful in its bid for a new government contract.
Lifeline is the organisation which pushed Blues coach and All Black great Sir John Kirwan's campaign to raise awareness of depression.Posted: Monday 4 May 2015 -
The father of a young man who died under mental health care has issued a heartfelt plea to the Government. Dave Macpherson has asked for a meeting with Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne to discuss a ministerial inquiry into the mental health system.Posted: Monday 4 May 2015 -
The parents of a mentally ill woman are upset she was allowed to go outside and put herself in danger, given her long history of self harm and suicide attempts.Posted: Monday 4 May 2015 -
The family of Hamilton man Nicky Stevens has requested a face-to-face meeting with Peter Dunne, the government minister responsible for mental health. Father and Hamilton City Councillor, Dave Macpherson, signed the letter, but it is addressed from Steven's mother and brother too.Posted: Sunday 3 May 2015 -
A QC specialising in medical law says it is crucial for families to have legal representation when dealing with DHBs’ medical mishaps, although getting the DHB to pay for this assistance would be very difficult.Posted: Wednesday 29 April 2015 -
Australian psychiatrist Patrick McGorry, who caused an international furor over advocating drugging adolescents with antipsychotics to “prevent” them becoming psychotic, has, again, come under scrutiny for the recent revelation of a whopping 75% increase in Western Australian children on antipsychotics between 2009 and 2013.Posted: Tuesday 28 April 2015 -
Nicky Stevens father, Dave Macpherson, planted a kauri tree in memory of his son for what would have been his 22nd birthdayPosted: Sunday 26 April 2015 -
Nicky Stevens' family complained to Police because the DHB was negligent in their care for Nicky, who they had chosen to take legal responsibility for; because the mental health system in NZ regularly stuffs up and is never made to accept responsibility; because the law requires health services to take good care of mentally ill patients in their facilities, but is never enforced; because our son and brother died when the DHB management and psychiatrists ignored our warnings and pleasPosted: Friday 24 April 2015 -
OPINION (Geoff Taylor, Waikato Times)
I was moved by Denise Irvine's beautifully written feature in the Waikato Times on 21-year-old Nicholas Stevens who died after being allowed to leave the Henry Bennett Centre unescorted.Posted: Saturday 18 April 2015 -
Waikato DHB bosses told Nicky Stevens' family yesterday that "levelling the playing field" by funding their Coroner's inquest legal costs would set a dangerous precedent. [Photo of Nigel Murray, Waikato DHB CEO]Posted: Thursday 16 April 2015 -
A lawyer acting for a psychiatric patient will fight to overturn a smoking ban at mental health units in the Court of Appeal this month. Barrister Richard Francois told the Herald on Sunday patients' lives were at risk because they had been told to smoke off the grounds or at the fence line and were unsupervised. Patients in secure units were not able to smoke at all.Posted: Sunday 12 April 2015 -
A powerful and damning first-hand account of the fatal arrogance and ineptitude of the Waikato DHB and their operation of our only care and treatment facility for those suffering from mental illness - the Henry Rongomai Bennett Centre. Mark Tupuhi even faked an address to access Auckland-based care as he was scared of the treatment at HBC.Posted: Thursday 9 April 2015 -
One News story/video here. Lead story on the news tonight, discusses slack security issues, Nicky's parents views on security and too-little-too-late independent inquiry, Hospital CEO's 'embarrassment' over the escape of these two men.Posted: Wednesday 8 April 2015 -
The 'escape' of two men from a supposedly secure Ward at Waikato Hospital's Henry Bennett Centre brings back unpleasant memories of the incompetence of Hospital management, say the parents of Nicky Stevens. The latest episode comes less than four weeks after Nicky Stevens, left the Centre on unescorted leave and was later found dead in the Waikato River.Posted: Tuesday 7 April 2015 -
Nicky Stevens' family will be reporting what happened to him, regardless of what any Coroner says are their rules: by holding up their Inquest for months, if not years, the Coroners have given up any right to let the public know about what happened with Nicky. There is some good in these proposals, such as the right for media to report the truth about suicides, but much is bad...Posted: Saturday 4 April 2015 -
When Nicky Stevens had a shower, he'd be in there forever, he'd shower for as long as there was hot water, and he'd sing at the top of his voice. A lot of the songs were made up, maybe about his little cat Shadowfox, also known as Wooty, and there might be some Neil Young and other favourites in there as well. You could hear him for miles...Posted: Saturday 4 April 2015 -
The family of a Hamilton man whose body was found in the Waikato River in March, while in the care of a mental health facility, say his death was avoidable. Nicky Stevens - a schizophrenic - was under a compulsory care order at the Henry Bennett Centre. He'd already tried to take his own life and had threatened to try again.Posted: Friday 3 April 2015
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