The Health Quality and Safety Commission have released the first report setting out the serious adverse events (SAEs) that New Zealand’s 20 district health boards (DHBs) have reported in the previous year.
- Between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013, 177 SAEs affecting patients of mental health and addictions services were reported by DHBs.
- SAEs by Type:
- 134: death by suspected suicide
- 17: serious self-harm
- 17: serious adverse behaviour
- 5: going missing from inpatient facility (no harm)
- 4: other event resulting in patient harm.
The Commission has agreed in principle to a two-year working partnership with the Ministry of Health to develop a trial of a suicide mortality review function to improve knowledge of contributing factors and patterns of suicidal behaviour, and to better identify key intervention points for suicide prevention.
The SAEs were reported in accordance with the process set out in the national reportable events policy, whereby health and disability providers identify, review and report events which have caused, or could have caused, serious harm to the patient.
