Media blamed, whānau refused speaking rights as battle over Nicky Stevens inquest heats up
WARNING: This article deals with suicide and may be upsetting.
The grieving family of suicide victim Nicky Stevens plan to request legal funding from the board seeking a second coroner's inquest into their son's death, despite being refused permission to make the presentation.
Waikato District Health Board member Dave Macpherson, whose 21-year-old son Nicky's suicide in 2015 was ruled avoidable by a coroner late last year, says he and his whānau are determined to make the request for funding.
Macpherson said the funding would enable he and wife Jane Stevens to meet legal requirements expected because of the DHB's unprecedented move to have a new coroner conduct another inquest.
He, Stevens and their eldest son Tony planned to attend the board's monthly meeting on Wednesday to make the presentation, despite being refused permission by board chairwoman Sally Webb.
In a letter to Webb last week, Macpherson said the DHB's request to the Solicitor-General for the second inquiry had already required the whānau to seek legal advice.
"And the Solicitor-General has additionally informed us that our whānau will be offered the chance to have input into their current process, for which we will need further legal support," Macpherson wrote.
"Therefore we still have legal issues and legal costs that the DHB's actions have caused.
"You have to accept that your actions, and especially the way you have gone about this matter, have caused significant emotional, legal and time-related problems for our whānau."
Waikato DHB chairwoman Sally Webb and interim chief executive Derek Wright. Webb has refused a presentation by Dave Macpherson requesting funding. Photo / Alan Gibson.
Webb and interim chief executive Derek Wright fronted a decision by the DHB's insurers, QBE, and external counsel Paul White, to pursue a second inquest after raising concerns about "procedural issues" during the June 2018 inquest heard by Coroner Wallace Bain.
"We would suggest that if the DHB was genuinely 'sorry' about causing us further distress, you would have discussed with us your intent to follow this unheard-of course of action, and your reasons for it."
It's understood the DHB psychiatrist who was treating Nicky when he was allowed out of the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre unescorted against his parents' wishes, is part of the complaint to the Solicitor-General.
The psychiatrist's identity is suppressed.
The decision to seek a new inquest was not discussed or approved by the board, and came after the whānau sought compensation over their son and brother's death.
Macpherson told the Herald he expected security to be called to Wednesday's meeting.
"I think they will have trouble asking me to leave since I'm a board member, and Jane and Tony too as it's a public meeting."
The meeting comes as the DHB has been under fire publicly for the decision and follows its announcement last week to put a $73,000, four-month recruitment search for a new chief executive on hold because of "challenges".
Webb has refused to say what the challenges are and plans to discuss the situation behind closed doors at Wednesday's meeting.
On Friday, Wright told the DHB's 7000 staff in an intranet update that the halted recruitment was probably the fault of media.
"You will have seen the board's announcement that the process for the recruitment of the permanent CE has been put on hold," he wrote.
"I am as disappointed as you are that after a considerable period of time the board have not been able to make an appointment.
"I'm sure the adverse comments in the media about this organisation will not have helped and possibly may have impacted on prospective candidates' intentions. I am happy to remain as chief executive in the interim."
