SUNNYSIDE INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1895, 1 November 1913, Page 8

SUNNYSIDE INQUIRY.

THE OFFICIAL REPORT. CHARGES NOT SUSTAINED, A DEFECTIVE HOSPITAL The report upon the inquiry recently conducted by a special commissioner into the- administration of the Sunaysido Mental Hospital was presented to Parliament yesterday by the Hon. It. H. Rhodes. The Commissioner (Mr. V. G. Day, S.M.) deals in detail with allegations made by relative's of patients. Summarising his conclusions in a general statement at the end of the report, he remarks that complaints of ill-treatment and neglect, in the opinion of the Commissioner, arise in the disorganised minds of from ignorance by friends of the pitiful state patients get into as a result of mental disorder. Hospital Qcfiotonotes, ( Regarding the deficiencies of the hospital, Mr. Day makes the following comments:— 1. Reception Ward.—No such ward on male side, and patients are received in refractory ward, which is improper. Tho Commissioner understands'that provision is being made for tho erection of a reception ward in tho near future. 2. Classification,—Necessary for proper caro aud attention, and impossible because of overcrowding. Cannot bo classified according to mental derangement table, manners, etc. Something should bo done to separate the coarso from the refined, but social classification, according to a suggestion niado during tho hearing, is obviously impossible. ■ Lunatic Prisoners.—No special provision for their custody apart from other patients, which is obviously improper. Mental Defectives. —Certified on the ground of mental decay, not needing services of trained mental nurses, slioula be placed in a separate institution. Inadequate Accommodation. 3. Hospital Treatment. —Friends of patients m Government-managed institutions have a right to expect adequate hospital accommodation, which is not to •be found at Sunnysiue. The "infirmary ward" is used for epileptics. When a proper infirmary ward is provided, the medical officers believe it would bo better to employ female nurses. Medical Officers. There are two medical officers for about 700 patients, and the superintendent has also large administrative duties. Much of the medical work falls on tho assistant.- and it appears to the Commissioner too much for one, or even two, assistants. He understands that a second assistant- is'• to bo appointed, and this will greatly relieve the position. Attendants. Tho rules and instructions laid > down for the guidance of attendants are as near perfection as possible, and they appear in the main to be faithfully obeyed and carried out. There are at present 870 male patients and 45 attendants; making deductions for those' on night duty and special duty, and 25 per cent, absent on leave, there are, 30 on actual duty, leaving a proportion of 1 to 12, instead of 1 to 8 or.lo. '■' ■" ,-'■

The hours of work are and 11} on alternate days, less half an hour for meals, and 92 days' holiday in tho year. ; Allowing thenieal.hours off, tho actual time worked is over 8 hours for each day, including' Sundays. It is not heavy physical work, but nerve-racking and probably a greater strain than mere physical work. There are only two male, attendants on_ night duty, one. placed with tho epileptics, the other patrolling the building each hour--tho walk now takes three-quarters of an hour. Thero should be a man on duty on each floor. Tho staff, the Commissioner thinks, is inadequate and overworked, and therefore patients cannot receive the care and attention they are entitled to.

Reception Ward Needed. ; Tile Commissioner goes on to. State that tho lack of a reception and hospital ward was brought under tho notice df tho Government as far back as 1904 by Dr. MacGregor, and nil that has been dono during tho nine years is to build a reception ward on tho female side and to acquire a cite for one on the male side. In the meantime the iucreaso of patients has accentuated the position. Tho Commissioner, in company with those- engaged in the inquiry, spent a day in the institution inspecting it. The Conimissionor was greatly impressed with tho cleanliness of tho huge building and its orderly appearance. A number of beds wero taken haphazard and stripped, and in. every oaso the bedding was found to bo sufficient and clean. The patients wero . visited at dinner, and it was found that they had abundance of food. Tho visitors had a meal off the samo dishes; the food was well cooked and nutritious. They saw the new annexe on the female side, which was in great contrast to the older parts of tho hospital— waß light and cheerful and well designed. Where the Fault Lies. In conclusion tho Commissioner thinks that the lengthy and exhaustive inquiry should allay fears that patients are subjected _ to ill-treatment. Tho causes of complaint arise not from remissness or neglect on the part of the staff, but owing to defects of the hospital itself. At the request of Mr. T. H. Davey (Christchmch East) who moved for the inquiry in tho first instance, the Hon. It, H. Rhodes emphasised the moro important features of the report. Tho Resort Criticised. I Mr. Davey said that the effect of tho report seemed to be that while the buildings were defective no fault was found with the attendants and medical staff. Going on to deal with what happened at the inquiry he commended the Commissioner (Mr. Day) for the manner in which ho had conducted it. On the other hand he considered that tho Crown should have called'evidence in connection with tho charges. This, tho Minister of Public Health had declined to do on the ground that his Department had to defend itself. The Crown had also refused to pay tho witnesses' expenses on the ground that the petitioners had failed to prove their ease, In his opinion .the fact had been established that patients suffering aoute pain wero only attended to after, visitors had called attention to thoir state. In the case of Mr. Tribo a. mimber of reputable Christehurch foKidonts had 1 testified that his serious condition was apparent some days before lie died. It was rather curious, under tho circumstances, that the attendants did not think that Mr. Tribe's condition was serious, It was curious, too, that Mr. Tribe, in the presence or his friends, shrank from 0110 or two of tho attendants, and said they ihad treated him badly, while he said that other attendants had treated him kindly. Despito tho commissioners' suggestion that there was nothing wrong with tho attendants ho (Mr. Davey) could not understand how they could _ havo seen Mr. Tribo's leg in tlio conditkm, it was in without reporting tho fact to the doctors. Mr. Davoy went on to contend that the doctors and solicitors at tlio inquiry had been unmerciful in dragging 111 gruonomo details, little Httkoiujax ffJiathaoDoaed to tin* witisntoi,

1 and their friends. In the case of an 1 attendant named Chapman, who had been sentenced to a term of imprison--1 ment for brutally kicking * patient, ' tie other attendants did not rciwrt tlio ' assault until 30 hours afterwards, whcir 1 the patient, was dead,_ and reported it ' then only to save their own skins. A number of women, ex-patients, had como j forward during the inquiry and offeifed . to submit evidence as to the treatment ' they had received at Sunnysido, but the commissioner was unable,to reeeive it because the scope of the inquiry did not extend to the women's sido of tho institution. He asked members to look ■ through the evidence for themselvcß ■ and decide whether of not the _ attendants were to blame. Tho inquiry, lie i believed, had done some good, but the sooner a comprehensive inquiry was ordered into the' mental hospitals of the Dominion, the 'better. There was no doubt that they stood badly in need of improvement. Debate Adjourned. Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) moved the adjournment of the debate. Ho said that the Minister was agreeable to this course which was reasonable in vfow of the fact that memborß had not. road She report. • The Hon. R. H .Rhodes said t/hat he had no objection to the adjournment. He" 1 desired tho fullest discussion of this matter. The motion was agreed to on tho yoiees.