I am now working with Psychiatrist Professor Giles Newton-Howes, and Statistician Professor Richard Arnold, to write up the results of my restraint investigation for publication in a refereed international journal.
Part 1: We want to compare the results to other countries.
To do so, we would like to have information from each DHB in the form of:
•Date/ restraint duration/ restraint type, and
•How many distinct people were involved in the numbers of restraint events (e.g., was a singleperson restrained on multiple occasions, or was every event for a different person).
We want to know about the date so that we know whether restraint events recur within single days, and we need the duration to compare with practices in other countries that can be of significant duration (e.g., days to weeks). The restraint type will enable us to confirm that the restraint event is within the scope of our study, and also to enable international comparisons. We therefore have some further questions relating to your attached reply.
To remind you of my previous request, we would like to get information about restraint incidences for adult acute mental health units alone, excluding other wards. We are only concerned with what we call "mechanical restraint", but is sometimes called "physical restraint". We mean restraint that uses mechanical devices, such as mittens or boxing glove, lap belt, or wrist/leg, ankle restraint, bed rails, restraint chair, bed body holder, straitjacket etc.
Part 2: We note that for your mental health units, you reported 0 incidences of physical restraint or mechanical restraint in 2008, but one incidence of physical restraint in 2018, and 5 incidences of "procedural restraint" in 2008.
• Could you please tell us what "procedural restraint" is?
• Does it ever include mechanical devices?
• Could you also provide the following breakdown for the 5 incidences of procedural restraint in 2008 and 1 incidence of Physical restraint in 2018: date/duration/restraint type and, for 2008, how many distinct people were restrained?
• Can you also please confirm that your answer is for ADULT ACUTE MENTAL HEALTH wards or if not, what population is included?
Our response is attached
Last modified:
