‘Opening Doors’ to change
A consumer-led seclusion elimination project
A major issue according to both members
stories and statistics released…
Targeting policy to make seclusion less of an
option for staff and services
Changing policy vs. changing practice on the
ground…
Established means of telling our stories could
be unsafe for consumers
Our solution? A short film sharing our
experiences
Barriers to achieving change
“No-one asked me when I came in… what my cultural beliefs
were… if they’d identified me as Maori, just because I’m
light skinned doesn’t mean I’m not Maori. Talk to us, that’s
how we treat our people, talk to us.”
Darryn recounts his experiences at Hillmorton
Hospital in Opening Doors
Phil stands inside a room much like the one he
was secluded in as a teenager
“Sitting here right
now in a seclusion
room, something I
never thought I would
have to do again, it’s
a little bit spooky, a
bit eerie and I’m
trying not to shake
too much…”
“That first admission when he was so traumatised, when he was held
down and he didn’t trust people, when he left the hospital, even
though the health professionals had really cared for him and felt they
had done their best, that element of trust was not there and so he
didn’t continue taking his medication.”
Egan reciting karakia “whakataka te hau”
Anne stands near the ocean recounting her
experiences in seclusion her advocacy work since
Opening Doors
Launch
Clinicians Wendy Lowerson and Tracy Boon talk
about improving practice in the film
“Just a quick note to offer my sincere thanks for the trainnig
resource developed by your group.
As part of the DoMHN group, I was gifted a copy of this resource
which will be of huge value to us.
We had already arranged a date for Wendy Lowerson to come
over and meet with our staff, to assist us better address the use
of seclusion at this DHB. We will certainly, as you suggested,
include this as part of our ongoing work with training
deescalation skills.”
Anne Tacon, Associate Director of Nursing
“Hi Kelly,
We received this resource however it was misplaced soon
after it arrived, our Nurse Educator requested another a
replacement, but apparently this came at a cost of over
$70. As a result we have been following Te Pou’s Core
strategies for reducing seclusion. We would still be happy
to receive this resource again.”
“Kia ora,
I got so excited about getting my hands on this as a teaching
tool that I haven’t watched the whole video yet but love what I
have seen. Getting the message across to some staff that
reducing stimulation does not benefit people has proven
difficult and I think it has been very powerfully and succinctly
demonstrated here.
I’m hoping you would sell them across the tasman as it would
be great if I could purchase some copies and the discussion
points which I would look at using as an educational tool for
staff across South Australian mental health units.
Is this possible and how much are they each?”
Del
Questions?
Comments?
Feel free to get in touch
with us any time at
awareness@mhaps.org.nz
or 03 366 8288