Ministry of Health, New Zealand Country Resources Mental Health Service Standards New Zealand Guidelines

This translation feature uses a third-party service. Please be advised that the machine-translated content may not be accurate. Translation only applies to this page and is not available for downloaded files or external links.

Print

Description

The purpose of these guidelines is to identify best practice methods for using seclusion in mental health acute inpatient units, in alignment with the specifications set out in the Health and Disability Services Standards. The intention of the revised guidelines is to, over time, limit the use of seclusion and restraint on mental health patients. Seclusion may be legally implemented under the conditions set out in the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, but only during situations in which other methods of clinical management cannot safely be used, or as a last resort when other interventions have been used without success. The legal basis of seclusion for patients under the Mental Health Act is set out in section 71 of the Act (see appendix two). Seclusion should be used for as short a time as possible. The decision to seclude should be anuncommon event, subject to strict review.

Content