Mental health campaigners are pushing for respite facilities to have trained doctors on-site.
An independent report has criticised Wellington mental health officials for wrongly sending a man to a respite care facility that was ill-equipped to deal with him.
Mental health campaigners are pushing for respite facilities to have trained doctors on-site. Photo: 123RF
The 34-year-old man, who was in a state of psychosis, tried to abduct a 3-year-old girl who was with her father.
A report released yesterday, said a less experienced staff member was in charge of assessing the man, and he was put in a facility that was not suitable.
It also said the level of staffing at the respite house was below a safe level.
Some DHBs only require support workers to be on-site, rather than doctors and nurses.
Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust spokeswoman Corinda Taylor said this isn't good enough, as many patients are put in respite facilities because of bed shortages in acute care.
She said while it's good there are support workers, they need support from clinical psychiatrists and doctors.
"We do not want people to be able to walk out of a respite care facility that are still at risk," Ms Taylor said.
"We want them to be assessed and to be supported in a way that they can feel that there is hope and for that we need qualified people."