Media release from DHBs spokesperson Murray Patton, clinical director, Waitemata DHB

All mental health-related deaths or injuries are a tragedy for families and of great concern to District Health Boards. Mental health staff do a difficult job in often trying circumstances, and they are committed to providing the best possible health care.

Unfortunately high levels of morbidity and mortality are associated with serious mental illnesses, even with the best treatment. Mental health problems can be complex and chronic. Some people experience mental illness on and off throughout their lives, and this may go hand-in-hand with a range of medical conditions, addictions or social problems that contribute to their distress.

The reality is that not all deaths or injuries are preventable or the result of error. Many thousands of people each year receive mental health care and treatment without incident. Mental health staff are well trained, dedicated, and accountable for the decisions they make, and people can feel confident that they are in good hands.

Of course, even with the best people, processes and systems, errors can occur. That is why DHBs review mental health-related deaths and injuries: to find out if something went wrong, whether an event could have been prevented, and what improvements - if any - should be made. The DHB concerned then acts on those review findings. A lot of work to improve systems and processes occurs behind the scenes as part of a DHB's normal, ongoing activity.

It's also worth understanding the context for these reportable events, as summarised. Reportable events in mental health are collected under section 132 of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 and by request from the Director of Mental Health. The definition of what constitutes a reportable event is broad, and has varied over time.

In addition, different DHBs have interpreted the Director's reporting expectations in various ways so variations in the number or type of events reported by DHBs reflects variations in their reporting practices, and for that reason this data cannot be used to accurately compare DHBs. The process of collecting consistent, accurate data across the 21 DHBs is still being refined.

See 'Latest Reports' for a summary of reportable mental health events for 2007, by DHB and an analysis document that puts these into context.

For more information (including copies of mental health reportable event summaries) please visit www.qic.health.govt.nz