Former patients say they have been physically attacked and experienced sexual misconduct in locked mental health wards across regional Queensland, as advocates call for frequent independent inspections of these facilities.
asserted
advocates → say → facilities
Queensland has not set up an independent body to regularly inspect its locked mental health wards almost a decade after Australia agreed to do so under an international treaty.
asserted
Australia → set → treaty
The ABC has spoken with former patients and advocates who want regular checks, similar to those carried out at the state's prisons and youth detention facilities.
asserted
who → speak → prisons
Some names in this story have been changed for legal and safety reasons.
'I was really scared'
asserted
I → change → reasons
Bella (not her real name) was an involuntary patient at Mackay Base Hospital's inpatient mental health unit last year and believes the locked wards need more oversight.
asserted
wards → believe → oversight
She said she was watching a movie in the ward's communal room when a male patient sat down next to her and made a sexual advance towards her.
asserted
patient → say → her
"I was in there by myself, and he touched my legs and asked me to come into the bathroom with him," she said.
"He wanted me to do sexual activities with him in the psych ward.
asserted
me → touch → ward
I was really scared, and I couldn't really get out of the room that I was in."
When the man eventually left, Bella called the Queensland Police Service (QPS).
asserted
Bella → get → Service
"The hospital had taken my phone off me, so I used the communal phone to call the police," she said.
asserted
she → take → police
Bella says the man had also made inappropriate comments about her body, and other men had exposed themselves to her while she was in the ward.
asserted
she → say → ward
Of these 19 complaints, four were investigated by OHO, and one resulted in immediate action being taken, according to data from the Health Ombudsman.
uncertain
action → investigate → Ombudsman
Organisations involved in the sector believe the actual figures to be higher, according to a report by the Queensland Public Advocate.
uncertain
figures → involve → Advocate
Bella does not believe she has a mental illness and said she was referred to mental health services after reporting to family and police that she had experienced domestic violence and cyberstalking.
asserted
she → believe → violence
"I experienced extreme trauma while incarcerated in the psychiatric ward," she said.
asserted
she → experience → ward
A QPS spokesperson said investigations into "a reported assault" at the hospital were ongoing, but police could not release any further information at this stage.
uncertain
police → say → stage
A Mackay Hospital and Health Service spokesperson said a patient "was supported by nursing staff to contact police and report an incident of sexual harassment".
asserted
patient → say → harassment
"The safety of everyone in our facilities is our number one priority, and there is zero tolerance for aggression or any actions that make anyone feel unsafe," the spokesperson said.
'Physically attacked' in a shared ward
asserted
spokesperson → be → ward
Elsie (not her real name) says she was physically attacked by a male patient while she was an involuntary patient in Caboolture Hospital's mental health ward last year.
asserted
she → say → ward
At the time, she says she was sleeping in a high-security unit with men and women.
asserted
she → say → men
Elsie said a man in her unit was smashing his head against a glass screen as he was distressed about needing water.
asserted
he → say → water
She said another patient headbutted and punched her in the face after she asked him how they could help the other man.
uncertain
they → say → man
The ABC has spoken with a friend of Elsie's who said that when he picked her up from the ward a few days later, she had slight swelling on her face and had reported being punched.
asserted
she → speak → face
He also recalled speaking with staff with knowledge of the alleged incident.
asserted
He → recall → incident
A Metro North Health spokesperson said they were unable to provide details about Elsie's care due to privacy and confidentiality issues.
asserted
they → say → issues
The spokesperson said if patients experienced physical altercations, the hospital took "immediate action to separate patients and ensure the safety and wellbeing of those in our care".
asserted
hospital → say → care
"While there are no separate male or female wards at Caboolture Hospital mental health, we keep consumers safe and comfortable and adjust the patient mix or attempt to relocate patients to another area if needed," the spokesperson said.
asserted
spokesperson → be → area
Elsie believed she was not treated with the compassionate care she required during a difficult time for her mental health.
asserted
she → believe → health
"I just felt really belittled.
asserted
I → feel → ?
They would ask me, ' Do you want to do a wee-wee in the cup for us?'
asserted
you → ask → us
And I'm like, if you want me to do a urine sample, you can just ask that."
asserted
you → want → that
She said, at one stage, she slept on a mattress in a living room area due to a lack of beds.
asserted
she → say → beds
A Metro North Health spokesperson said that happened infrequently.
asserted
that → say → ?
"A consumer may be temporarily accommodated in a communal area of an MHICU [Mental Health Intensive Care Unit], and this ensures they receive the specialist care provided in this environment," they said.
uncertain
they → accommodate → environment
"This allows staff time to review and adjust the patient mix within the MHICU before moving a consumer to an appropriate bed."
asserted
This → allow → bed
Jupiter (not their real name) said they have been a patient at multiple locked mental health wards across regional Queensland.
asserted
they → say → Queensland
They said during hospital stays related to their eating disorder, they had experienced inappropriate behaviour by some staff.
asserted
they → say → staff
"You'll get male staff members … being, like, ' Would you like me to help you take off your bra [before showering]?' Because you know, you're physically weak."
asserted
you → get → bra
Jupiter said mental health patients were often not believed when they raised complaints.
asserted
they → say → complaints
"There's a huge factor … where we doubt people, and we don't view them as credible because of their diagnosis," they said.
asserted
they → be → diagnosis
The ABC has spoken with two other former patients in regional hospitals who complained about a lack of communication and compassionate care in mental health wards.
asserted
who → speak → wards
…and 27 more, not listed.
The Aporia