There are plans to close mental health facility Rauaroha Segar House. Photo: Google Maps Street View
- Lawyer's letter seeks more consultation on proposal to close Auckland mental health facility
- PSA holds concerns lease arrangements for Segar House show predetermination
- Health NZ denies this and says it's considering feedback on its plan
- Opposition spokeswoman says reopening consultation the right thing to do.
A union representing public service workers is urging health officials to reopen consultation into proposals to close an Auckland mental health facility, citing concerns about predetermination.
The PSA has sent a lawyer's letter to Health NZ Te Whatu Ora with the plea about Rauaroha Segar House, which offer a publicly funded intensive programme for people with long-standing or chronic mental health problems.
Health NZ says it is working through feedback on the proposed closure, after staff put forward a plan to keep a service they and many patients say is unique.
After the period seeking submissions closed, correspondence obtained by Labour spokesperson for mental health Ingrid Leary and reported by RNZ revealed officials had intended to vacate the Khyber Pass Road facility Segar House operates from in January, before a pre-Christmas move to extend the lease until June.
It has since been extended again until 30 September.
The correspondence makes no mention of possible alternative venues for the programme, but Health NZ said the building lease was not a factor in its decision making, and the proposal was about providing the best healthcare and value for money.
The PSA's letter, from its solicitor Caroline Mayston to Health NZ co-director of mental health and addiction services in Te Toka Tumai, Stacy Silva Garay, last Friday said after learning of the lease information in the media the union had serious concerns about "predetermination of the change process".
It said Health NZ breached its duty to provide all relevant information to employees and unions during the Segar House consultation process.
"We request that consultation be reopened to allow affected employees to consider and respond to this additional information, as is their right," Mayston wrote.
The union's concerns were not alleviated by Health NZ saying lease arrangements had nothing to do with the proposal to close Segar House.
"This [the correspondence obtained by Leary] indicates to us that Te Whatu Ora was planning for the disestablishment of Rauaroha Segar House well prior to opening consultation with affected employees and had no intention of maintaining the service elsewhere.
"We do not accept this information was not relevant to the change process."
Rauaroha Segar House has offered a publicly funded intensive programme for people with long-standing or chronic mental health problems. Photo: 123RF
RNZ asked Health NZ if it would allow staff and other parties to have a say on the new information, what its response was regarding concerns about predetermination, and when a decision on Segar House's future would be made.
Health NZ northern regional acting deputy chief executive Mike Shepherd said officials were considering the information the PSA provided.
"We have received a large volume of feedback on the change process for the facility and we have been carefully reviewing this feedback.
"We will be in a position to make a decision shortly and this decision will be communicated to affected stakeholders as soon as possible."
Leary said allowing the PSA's suggestion of reopening consultation seemed fair and logical.
"Extending the time to ensure proper consultation is happening is the right thing to do. That's what I've said all along and that's what needs to happen."
It made sense to give the staff idea of loosening the criteria for people to use the service a go, to see if it worked, she said.
But, it looked like officials hadn't entered the process with an open mind as they scrambled to save money, Leary said.
Health NZ has cited low referral numbers in its proposal to axe Segar House, although entry requirements were tightened about six years ago.
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