Bureaucratic block removed for some abused in state care

The state’s redress systems had been covering claims for mental health inpatient settings up to June 30, 1993, after which responsibility had transferred to different organisations.

Minister in charge Erica Stanford announced on March 18 that the government will provide redress for survivors of such abuse up to 2022. Some of these survivors had been hitting bureaucratic blocks when seeking redress.

Ms Stanford said she was approached by a woman named Charlotte last year, who was abused in a mental health setting in the 2000s, but could not make headway on redress.

“Health NZ does not have an established redress process, so anyone who goes to them is frustrated, they can’t get redress, and it’s a terrible, terrible situation,” Ms Stanford said.

“What we’re doing is extending the Ministry of Health’s responsibility right through to when Health NZ was established in 2022, so those people who were abused in psychiatric institutions and mental health settings are now able to claim redress.”

She said survivors were not responsible for health system restructures. Health NZ would take over from the ministry and be responsible for responding to claims from July 1, 2022.

A number of people who were in the same situation as Charlotte had approached the minister, but the exact number who the change would impact was not yet known. Ms Stanford said if people did suffer abuse in a mental health setting in New Zealand between 1993 and 2022, “you can come forward and we will process your claim”.

The Government is still working through the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care’s recommendations, which she described as a “big piece of work, and yes, there probably will be other gaps”.

Ms Stanford said there had been a big surge in claims since the Government apologised to abuse survivors.

FULL STORY

Government extends redress for abuse in state-run facilities up to 2022 (Radio New Zealand)