Short-staffing and staff burn-out at Waikato's state-run psychiatric services have been highlighted in an inspection led by the Health Ministry's director of mental health, Dr John Crawshaw.
In his report, made public today, Dr Crawshaw says the Waikato District Health Board "needs to devote attention to some immediate staffing relief in critical areas - especially in some of the community teams - to reduce staff burn-out and churn, fill vacancies and improve staff retention".
The ministry says the investigation was prompted by public concern following several serious events affecting the Waikato services last year: the suicide of one patient, the unplanned departures of three patients and the employment of an overseas doctor as a psychiatrist who now faces court charges related to identity fraud.
"Apart from the employment of the overseas doctor ... the inspection does not look specifically at those events, which are being investigated or followed up separately, but instead examines how the services are functioning and whether there are any systemic issues."
The ministry says many of the report's recommendations "support changes already planned by the DHB".