Shock in New Zealand: Eleven-year-old accidentally admitted to clinic!

Shock in New Zealand: Eleven-year-old accidentally admitted to clinic!

A tragic incident occurred in New Zealand where an 11-year-old girl was mistaken for a missing 20-year-old woman. The incident, which occurred in Hamilton on March 9, is becoming a serious issue in the field of mental health care, particularly for children. The girl, who had limited linguistic abilities, was picked up by a police patrol on a bridge and then admitted to a clinic.

How vienna.at Reportedly, the girl was taken to the psychiatric intensive care unit despite a nurse's warning that she looked like a child. Due to her disability, the girl was unable to describe herself, which complicated the situation. At the hospital, she refused medication prescribed by staff and was subsequently restrained and treated with antipsychotics, which are rarely given to children.

Criticism of the treatment

The girl spent more than twelve hours in the clinic before the police became aware of the mistake and informed the family. Health official Richard Sullivan apologized for the trauma suffered and promised a full investigation to ensure such an incident does not happen again. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed sympathy for the girl and her family and described what happened as “horrible”.

This incident raises questions about mental health care, which is important not only in New Zealand but worldwide. In Germany, too, a comprehensive needs analysis for the care of mentally ill adolescents shows deficits. Around 20% of children and young people in Germany suffer from psychological or behavioral problems, but around 50% of those who need treatment do not receive appropriate treatment aerzteblatt.de determines.

Supply bottlenecks and synergy effects

The identified risks are particularly worrying for high-risk groups, such as children in out-of-home care or those from troubled families. The project “Care for mentally ill children and young people in Germany”, funded by the Federal Ministry of Health, aims to close these gaps. Professor Dr. Jörg M. Fegert, who leads the project, emphasizes the need to draw conclusions from the results of the analysis.

The challenges in psychiatric care are complex. These include the transition from adolescent to adult psychiatry and the interface problems between different institutions, including school care and youth welfare. The current situation shows how important it is to include relatives and caregivers in treatment networks and to increase the visibility of mental illnesses.