Mental Health Wards in Waikato at 140% Capacity, Lacking Community Beds

Mental health wards in Waikato at 140% capacity, lacking community beds

By Lucy Xia of RNZ A mental health nurse working at Waikato Hospital says there’s a shortage of community beds to discharge patients to, while acute mental...

Bed shortage leaves mental health patients sleeping on floors

The nurse says some Waikato patients are sleeping on mattresses in interview rooms or seclusion rooms, or in other wards.

Waikato mental health patients sleeping on floor mattresses because of bed shortage

The nurse says some patients are sleeping on mattresses in interview rooms, seclusion rooms, and sometimes in other wards due to a lack of beds.