A senior health official has confirmed a new mental health ward at Palmerston North Hospital will not open for at least another two years - two years later than first expected.
Scott Ambridge told an inquest into the death of Erica Hume a new mental health ward at Palmerston North Hospital won't open until 2024. Photo: RNZ
Despite concerns about overcrowding, it will also not have extra beds than the present ward.
The present facility, ward 21, was found not fit for purpose after two patients, Erica Hume and Shaun Gray, died there in suspected suicides in 2014.
At the inquest into Hume's death in Palmerston North today, Te Whatu Ora MidCentral mental health and addictions services operations executive Scott Ambridge confirmed the new ward was expected to open in late 2024.
It will have 28 beds, the same number as the present ward.
The government confirmed funding for the $35 million new ward in 2020 and it was expected to open later this year, but that deadline has pushed back two years.
At the inquest, Hume's mother, Carey, asked Ambridge what was being done to keep patients on the present ward safe until 2024.
"It's a long period of time until then."
Carey said another patient died in a suspected suicide at the ward late last year.
Ambridge said staffing levels were the immediate focus.
"Staffing is the one area that we are able to increase investment on to help ensure that patients remain safe and supported on the ward."
It was too early to say if staffing was a factor in last year's patient death because the final report into the incident had not been completed, Ambridge said.
Lawyer assisting the inquiry Kate Fitzgibbon asked Ambridge why the new ward had no extra beds, given the inquest had heard about capacity problems at the present ward.
Erica Hume had to wait three hours for space to free up after it decided to send her to the ward in 2014.
Ambridge told the inquest about the increased investment MidCentral had made in mental health and addiction services in recent years, including extra staff and extra spending.
"The main reason is when you look at the actual work that's been done around bed modelling... A lot of the investment is in acute and community alternatives.
"For example, yes, you could increase the number of ward beds, but we know that that doesn't necessarily work for everybody.
"Rather than looking at our investment in the acute ward, leading up to the new build we've increased in community-based alternatives."
Information given to Carey Hume by MidCentral showed eight extra beds could be added to the new ward, but "the probability of requiring these new beds before 2038 is low".
"I'm aware that the design includes expansion, but I agree it's not funded at this point," Ambridge said.
The inquest, before Coroner Matthew Bates, is expected to finish this week.