Aukatia te noho punanga: Noho haumanu, tū rangatira mō te tokomaha
Zero seclusion: Safety and dignity for all
Aukatia te noho punanga: Noho haumanu, tū rangatira mō te tokomaha
Seclusion is the practice of placing a mental health consumer in a room from which they cannot exit freely.
In mental health and addiction (MHA) services, people who arrive in an acutely distressed state are sometimes put into seclusion as a last resort. Seclusion is traumatic and harmful for consumers, whānau, visitors and health workers alike.
The elimination of seclusion in mental health has been government policy for over a decade.
The Zero seclusion: Safety and dignity for all | Aukatia te noho punanga: Noho haumanu, tū rangatira mō te tokomaha project has been underway since 2019.
The project aims to contribute to the goal of zero seclusion by reducing seclusion rates in adult mental health inpatient units (excluding forensics) in participating localities to 5 percent or below by December 2023.
Te Tāhū Hauora works collaboratively with the Ministry of Health, Te Pou and health district project teams to assist health district mental health facility staff, excluding forensic facilities, find alternatives to seclusion.
Thanks to the work of Te Pou, we have evidence that approaches showing promise include engaging well with the individual and the family and whānau, peer support and sensory modulation, among others.
For example, effective ways staff can support people in distress include:
Find out more about how project team members and Te Pou collaborate on the Zero seclusion project here.