The Ombudsperson’s 2019 report resulted from an investigation into whether mental health facilities were complying with the procedural requirements for involuntary admissions under the Mental Health Act. The report found legally required admission documents were missing, late or improperly completed including forms outlining reasons for detention, treatment consent, notification of a patient’s rights and notification to relatives. In addition, in some cases, facilities used standard rubber stamps to purport to authorize treatment for individual patients instead of describing the actual treatment proposed for that specific patient. In other cases, physicians failed to explain why a person met the criteria for involuntary admission yet the patient was nonetheless admitted.

The report made 24 recommendations, all of which had been accepted in principle by government and health authorities. The 2022 investigative update shows that only one-third of the recommendations (8 of 24) have been fully implemented over the past three years.

To read the news release, please click here.

To read the 2019 news release, please click here.

To read the 2019 report, please click here.