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2004-1209 - Manawatu
Standard - Forum offer is 'a sick joke'
The Government is
cynically banking on former pyschiatric patients giving up and going away by
making justice too difficult to attain, say former Lake Alice Hospital residents
in Palmerston North.
2004-1208 - The Press - Abuse
forum 'delay tactic'
by Kamala Hayman
- A former Christchurch psychiatric patient, subjected to years of shock
treatment and threatened with a lobotomy, has dismissed as a "waste of
time" Government plans to hear abuse claims in a confidential forum
……………… But a former Sunnyside patient, still living in Christchurch, could
not see the point of the forum nor of further counselling.
2004-1208 - Stuff -
Psychiatric claimants angered by Government response
NZPA - Former
psychiatric hospital patients claiming compensation for abusive treatment are
angered by Government plans to set up a confidential forum instead of an
inquiry, their lawyers say. Attorney-General Margaret Wilson yesterday said
former psychiatric patients who claimed to have suffered abuse while in
hospital would be able to talk about their experiences at a confidential
forum.
2004-1208 - NZ Herald - No
inquiry into alleged psych abuse
The Government
has rejected calls to set up an inquiry into the allegations by hundreds of
former patients that they were abused in psychiatric hospitals. Instead, it
is creating a special forum to hear the stories of former patients, their
families and hospital staff - forcing people who want compensation to go
through the courts. Attorney-General Margaret Wilson said the forum, chaired
by ombudsman and former judge Anand Satyanand, would refer people where
necessary to the appropriate agencies, such as ACC, the Health and Disability
Commissioner or the police. It could also refer people for state-paid
counselling.
2004-1208 - Dominion Post
- Mental patient abuse inquiry turned down
by Fran Tyler -
Former psychiatric patients who say they were abused by hospital staff are
angry at the Government's refusal to hold a public inquiry. Attorney-General
Margaret Wilson yesterday announced plans to instead establish a non-public
forum to allow former patients, their families and hospital staff an avenue
to air their complaints and stories.
2004-1207 - One News - No inquiry
over abuse claims
Former
psychiatric patients who claim they have suffered abuse will be given an
opportunity to tell their stories at a confidential forum. The government is
setting up the forum so former patients, their families and former staff can
gain acknowledgement of their experiences. Attorney-General Margaret Wilson
says they looked carefully at holding an inquiry, but many former psychiatric
patients wanted a way to talk about their stories.
2004-1207 - One News - Anger
over forum for psych patients
A group
representing former mental health service users is outraged that the
government is setting up a confidential forum to hear their claims of abuse.
About 300 former patients have made complaints about their treatment at
mental hospitals across New Zealand when most were aged between eight and 16.
They have alleged beatings and sexual abuse by staff and other patients,
excessive use of electro-shock treatment and drugs and solitary confinement.
2004-1207 - NZ Government -
New forum for psychiatric patients
Press Release by
Margaret Wilson - The government will establish a forum for former
psychiatric patients who claim to have suffered abuse while in hospital,
Attorney-General Margaret Wilson announced today. The Confidential Forum for
Former In-Patients of Psychiatric Hospitals will invite former patients,
their families and hospital staff members to tell the stories of their
experiences in psychiatric institutions. "The forum is designed to give
former patients a chance to talk about their experiences in a non-critical
and confidential environment," Margaret Wilson said.
2004-1207 - Newstalk ZB -
Forum for former psychiatric patients
A new forum is
being set up for former psychiatric patients who claim to have been abused
while in institutions. Former patients, their families and hospital staff
will be able to talk openly of their experiences. Attorney-General Margaret
Wilson says it will be a confidential and non-critical forum, chaired by an
Ombudsman and administered by the Internal Affairs Department and Health
Ministry.
2004-1207 - Newstalk ZB -
Compensation kept separate from abuse claims
The
Attorney-General says compensation issues must be kept separate from a new
forum for psychiatric patients who claim they were abused. The Confidential
Forum for Former In-Patients of Psychiatric Hospitals, run by the Health
Ministry and Internal Affairs, will provide a way for former psychiatric
patients to formally register their claims. It will invite former patients,
their families and hospital staff members to tell of their experiences.
2004-1113 - NZ Herald -
Return to horror hospital
For Hake Halo,
Lake Alice Hospital was a place of terror which overshadowed the rest of his
life. Now just a collection of run-down rural buildings with cows munching
grass outside, in the 1970s it was the place where the then teenaged Hake
says he was punished with electric shocks and painful injections by nurses
and doctors trying to alter youngsters' behaviour.
2004-1013 - The Press - A
measured approach
An almost audible
sigh can be heard from New Zealanders as they contemplate yet another
labyrinthine case of institutional abuse and the liturgy of apologies and
compensation that will inevitably go with it. After the St John of God,
Porirua Mental Hospital, Nazareth House, Salvation Army and prison solitary
confinement affairs, and others, we could do without the deep flesh wound
that is beginning to suppurate at Waiouru
2004-1011 - Dominion
Post - Alleged victims of abuse accuse Government of bias
by Fran Tyler -
Former psychiatric patients and social welfare children taking cases against
the Crown over alleged abuse have accused the Government of discrimination.
When news broke of allegations by army cadets that they suffered abuse
between the 1950s and 1980s, Defence Minister Mark Burton immediately
promised an independent investigation, one of the groups' lawyers, Sonja
Cooper, said.
2004-1000 - MAF - Former Patient
Abuse Claims Rising
The number of
claims alleging abuse and mistreatment at psychiatric hospitals during the
1960s and 1970s is continuing to climb. The Crown Law Office says there are
now 77 individual claims from former patients, many of them relating to
Porirua Hospital
2004-0927 - The Press -
Group raises profile of psychiatric abuse
by Amanda Warren
- A group seeking redress for alleged abuse in psychiatric hospitals hopes
huge public response will bolster its calls for Government action. Helen
Gilbert, a spokeswoman for psychiatric survivor groups, said calls had been
flowing in to groups around the country following the coalition's July call
for a new method of compensation.
2004-0927 - Coalition Abuse
Victims - Calls for psychiatric redress gain momentum
Calls have been
flowing into psych survivor groups around the country from people seeking
redress over historic abuse received in New Zealand mental institutions.
Spokesperson for the coalition of groups Helen Gilbert says that since the
groups first called for the Government to set-up a redress process in July
there has been a steady stream of phone calls to consumer groups around the
country from vulnerable people wanting to tell their stories.
2004-0920 - NZ Herald - 300
ex-patients claim abuse
People continue
to come forward alleging abuse and mistreatment by psychiatric hospital staff
at Porirua and other hospitals. Wellington lawyer Roger Chapman, with lawyer
Sonja Cooper, is spearheading action against the Crown on behalf of those
claiming physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hospitals in the 1960s
and 1970s.
2004-0920 - Dominion Post -
More claims of psych hospital abuse
by Haydon Dewes -
More people continue to come forward to allege abuse and mistreatment at the
hands of psychiatric hospital staff at Porirua and other hospitals. More than
300 people had come forward and that number was climbing, said Wellington
lawyer Roger Chapman, who with lawyer Sonja Cooper is spearheading action
against the Crown on behalf of those claiming physical, emotional and sexual
abuse at the hospitals in the 1960s and 70s.
2004-0919 - One News - Hospital
abuse claims rise
The number of
claims alleging abuse and mistreatment at psychiatric hospitals during the
1960s and 70s is continuing to climb, as more former patients come forward.
The Crown Law Office says there are now 77 individual claims from former
patients - many of them relating to Porirua Hospital.
2004-0802 - Stuff - Govt seeks
ways for abused patients to avoid court cases
NZPA -
Attorney-General Margaret Wilson says she is exploring ways for former
psychiatric patients to avoid court cases if they want to when they seek
compensation for their abuse claims. The historic allegations surfaced
earlier this year and cover claims of widespread mistreatment at most of New
Zealand's mental hospitals in the 1960s and 1970s. Ms Wilson said yesterday
that so far 68 individual claims had been filed in the High Court and she
understood more than 300 people had not yet filed.
2004-0802 - NZ Herald -
Psychiatric patients offered deal over abuse claims
Attorney-General
Margaret Wilson has indicated to former psychiatric patients with abuse
claims that she is willing to consider negotiated settlements if they want to
avoid going through the courts. The claims in question largely relate to
those from former Porirua Hospital patients.
2004-0802 - NZ Herald -
Police told to hurry up on investigation into psychiatrist
by Martin
Johnston - The police are taking too long to investigate criminal complaints
against psychiatrist Selwyn Leeks, say supporters of patients behind the
claims. On Saturday, the Weekend Herald revealed that the Government had paid
a further $4.2 million in compensation to former psychiatric patients at Lake
Alice Hospital, in addition to the $6.5 million paid to 95 others in 2001.
2004-0802 - Dominion Post
- Psych survivors unite in compo fight
Psychiatric
survivor groups are banding together in their fight for compensation for the
institutional torture and abuse they suffered at the hands of the state.
Human rights advocate Helen Gilbert said thousands of people had experienced
abuse and torture at the hands of the state, ranging from electric shock
treatment, medication and seclusion as punishment to unnecessary long-term
incarceration.
2004-0731 - One News - Fomer
patients want redress
Former mental health patients are calling for the
Government to set up a national process to deal with historic claims of abuse
at psychiatric intitutions. The Psych Survivors Redress Coalition, which
represents patient groups across the country, is making the call following
recent reports of abuse of patients at Porirua hospital.
2004-0731 - NZ Herald -
Former Lake Alice patients win $4.2m payout
by Martin
Johnston - The Government has paid a second wave of former psychiatric
patients about $47,000 each, on average, in compensation for abuse they
suffered at Lake Alice Hospital. The 88 who received the $4.2 million were
patients of the hospital's notorious child and adolescent unit, run by
psychiatrist Selwyn Leeks.
2004-0729 - NZ Herald -
Compensation claim lawyers to meet
By Martin
Johnston - Action to settle former mental hospital patients' compensation
claims against the Crown for alleged abuse may be about to begin. Crown Law
(the Government's lawyers) has arranged to meet lawyers acting for more than
200 former patients.
2004-0715 - The Press -
Ex-Porirua Hospital worker speaks out
by Fran Tyler -
Publicity over abuse at Porirua and other psychiatric hospitals has led to
the number of claimants rising to more than 300 since legal action was first
revealed two years ago. Wellington lawyer Sonja Cooper, one of those
spearheading the joint action against the Crown, says of those at least 200
are claiming physical, emotional or sexual abuse at Porirua during the 1960s
and 1970s. So far 65 claims have been filed in the High Court.
2004-0715 - Dominion Post -
Abuse claims by patients reach 300
By Fran Tyler -
Publicity over abuse at Porirua and other psychiatric hospitals has led to
the number of claimants rising to more than 300 since legal action was first
revealed by The Dominion Post two years ago. Wellington lawyer Sonja Cooper,
one of those spearheading the joint action against the Crown, says that of
those at least 200 are claiming physical, emotional or sexual abuse at
Porirua during the 1960s and 70s.
2004-0710 - NZ Herald -
Patients lived in fear of 'The Treatment'
by Phil Taylor -
Brutal treatment of patients was the culture of the Porirua Mental Hospital
in the 1960s, four former workers have said. The four women told the Weekend
Herald that electric shock treatment was routinely used as punishment and
patients were drugged into zombie-like states to make them more manageable.
The women - students at the time - said part of their duties was to hold
patients down while shock treatment was applied.
2004-0703 - Nelson Mail -
Patient abuse claims on rise
by Sheriee Smith
- Complaints of serious mistreatment of patients at Ngawhatu Psychiatric
Hospital are mounting. Since the Government announced last month it was
looking at more than 200 complaints of abuse at psychiatric hospitals around
New Zealand, nine former patients at Nelson's Ngawhatu Hospital have lodged
claims with Wellington lawyer Roger Chapman.
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