Research

These forensic units are very uncomfortable places for the patients and for the staff, there is a lot of research from Wacol and internationally to work out if there are better ways of doing things - the answer seems to be YES!Patient and staff perspectives on the use of seclusionThe use of seclusion in New Zealand has received much attention, with emphasis on stringent policies and procedures to closely monitor and minimize its use.1,2 The process of seclusion is often associated with discomfort and unease on the part of both the staff and the patients involved. Its use in psychiatry has been controversial for more than three decades.3 The debate is centred on whether seclusion is a valid therapeutic intervention, a method of containment of a psychiatric emergency or merely a form of punishment.4 In the absence of controlled studies, the therapeutic value of seclusion remains unproven. In contrast, its use may result in harm to patients5 but objective evidence of that is also limited.A systematic review of the international published literature relating to quality of institutional care for people with longer term mental health problemsA proportion of people with mental health problems require longer term care in a psychiatric or social care institution. However, there are no internationally agreed quality standards for institutional care and no method to assess common care standards across countries.

We aimed to identify the key components of institutional care for people with longer term mental health problems and the effectiveness of these component