3 June 2020
OIA: OIA 2020/098
H20_21-69
W20-459
Nigel Gray
[FYI request #12827 email] Official information Request:
Dear Nigel
Thank you for your request for official information, received on 21 May 2020 by way of partial transfer
from the Ministry of Health. This response is provided by the Mental Health, Addictions and Intellectual
Disability Service for Wairarapa, Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast DHBs (MHAIDS). You requested the
following information:
Question
"Given that Electrocon[v]ulsive Treatment has been used as a method of torture historically in New
Zealand, can you please inform me of the precise number of these devices in NZ hospitals in present
time?"
Response
There are two electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) machines currently being used across the 3DHB region. A
breakdown of location is as follows:
one in use in the Hutt Valley District Health Board region; and
one in use in the Capital & Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) region.
Further to the above there is one spare machine that belongs to CCDHB. There are no ECT machines in
use the Wairarapa District Health Board region.
We would also direct you to the following page on the Ministry of Health’s website, which provides
information on the usage of ECT in modern medicine:
https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/electroconvulsive-therapy-ect.
www.mhaids.health.nz
MHAIDS is the mental health, addictions and intellectual disability service for the Wairarapa, Hutt Valley and Capital & Coas t District Health Boards
Head Office | Phone: 04 381 1656
| Fax: 04 237 9478
| Level 11, BNZ Tower, 14 Hartham Place, PO Box 50 233, Porirua
We trust the information we have provided meets your needs however you have the right, by way of
complaint under section 28(3) of the Official Information Act 1982 to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Further information about making a complaint can be found at -
http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/make-a-complaint. Regards,
Nigel Fairley
General Manager
MHAIDS
