Compulsory Treatment & Assessment: Making a Complaint

The complaints process regarding the treatment of people under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992

The complaints process regarding the treatment of people under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, is a little different:

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Each DHB has a Director of Area Mental Health Services (DAMHS). DAMHS are health professionals who have been appointed by the DHB to ensure that it complies with the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act. You can get the name and detail of your DAMHS from your mental health service.

District Inspectors are lawyers who are appointed by the Ministry of Health to ensure that patients' rights are upheld while they are receiving treatment under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act. Contact details for local District Inspectors are available from your local DHB or the Ministry of Health (Ministry of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington, phone 04 496 2000, www.moh.govt.nz).

The Mental Health Review Tribunal can be contacted on Wellington 04 499 0431.