CORPORATE OFFICE
Level 1
32 Oxford Terrace
Telephone: 0064 3 364 4160
Christchurch Central
Fax: 0064 3 364 4165
CHRISTCHURCH 8011
[email address]
5 February 2018
Health Sector Workers Network
Email: [email address];
Dear Health Sector Workers Network
RE Official information request CDHB 9758
I refer to your email dated 11 December 2017, requesting the following information under section 12 of
the Official Information Act pertaining to Canterbury DHB Restraint Policy and the use of mechanical
restraints in all services.
Can you please provide?
1. All policy documents relating to restraint practices at Canterbury DHB?
2. Are there instances in the last year (June 2016 to June 2017) of the use of mechanical
restraints? (i.e. strapping arms to bed) this is also referred to as physical restraint.
3. Can you please provide this data for both physical and mental health services and identify the
service associated with this data?
This data should be recorded in a Restraint Register and specify the type of restraint used (ie wrist
strap) and the start and finish times of each individual physical restraint. Obviously the presentation
of this data should be anonymised for the protection of privacy.
The Canterbury DHB Restraint Minimisation and Safe Practice policy is available on our internet site.
http://www.cdhb.health.nz/Hospitals-Services/Health-Professionals/CDHB-Policies/Clinical-
Manual/Documents/4631-Restraint-Minimisation.pdf The Canterbury DHB has an active Multi-disciplinary Restraint Approval Monitoring Group that meets on
a monthly basis. RAMG approves personal, physical and environmental restraints for specific service
areas.
An interactive tool has been developed for staff on the intranet to outline the procedures for approved
restraints.
Canterbury DHB does not have a Restraint Type: Mechanical Restraint. The Health & Disability Services
Standards for Restraint Minimisation & Safe Practice NZS 8134:.2:2008 refers to Physical Restraint only.
The information below relates to this type of restraint, physical restraint.
A Soft Limb Restraint is approved for Canterbury DHB Christchurch Campus, for use as a last resort, for
those consumers who are at risk of removing essential medical devices e.g. breathing tubes etc.
Restraint Type - Physical
Associated Procedures and Guidelines outline indications for use, potential risks for use, monitoring
requirements, and patient care.
Canterbury DHB
Table one: CDHB Physical Restraint (Limb Holding) as approved
Approved Physical Restraint
Restraint Minimisation
Approved Christchurch Campus – Medical /
Soft Limb
+ safe practice
Surgical Division only
(RMASP) Policy
See Appendix 1
Soft Limb Restraint Policy
See Appendix 1
Document 1 Page 1
Document 10 page 25
Incident Reporting System
Only approved for Christchurch Campus
(Safety 1st) Data for Physical
Restraints – 1/06/2016 –
Physical Restraint Soft Limb Restraint
(Please
31/5/2017 - (soft limb
refer to Table two (below)
restraints)
Restraint Minimisation & Safe Practice Policy document is currently under review to include Transalpine
Approach with WCDHB
and CDHB.
RMASP Policy - Restraint Minimisation
See Appendix 1 Document 11 page 30
Table two: Physical restraint limb holding interventions only 1 June 2016 – 31 May 2017.
1 June 2016 to 31 May 2017
Christchurch Hospital Campus
Physical Restraints Limb Holding Interventions Only
Soft Limb Restraint Approved
June 2016
5
July
5
1 June 2016 to 31 May 2017
Christchurch Hospital Campus
Physical Restraints Limb Holding Interventions Only
Soft Limb Restraint Approved
August
4
September
1
October
0
November
0
December
1
January 2017
1
February
1
March
2
April
1
May
1
Please note:
There were 13 patients in total for the 22 limb holding Restraint Events reported. 11 of the Restraint
events were for two patients. The approved Soft Limb Restraint item is utilised for the minimum time
necessary, however on occasions it is required at repeated intervals, within a 24 hour shift. These
events are recorded for that 24 hour shift as one event, the total time for the individual events are
accumulated providing the total time for the 24 hour period. Each of these events total time, shown on
the data report, covers all events within the 24 hour period.
Nil events of Physical Restraints occurred, June 2016 to June 2017,
of Limb Holding Interventions for:
1. Burwood Hospital – Older Persons Health and Rehabilitation Services (including Older Persons
Mental Health)
2. Ashburton & Rural Hospitals (including –
a. Tuarangi,
b. Chatham Islands
c. Kaikoura
d. Oxford
e. Ellesmere
f. Waikari
g. Darfield
h. Akaroa
3. Specialist Mental Health Services.
Please find attached as
Appendix 1 the Canterbury DHB restraint policies.
I trust that this satisfies your interest in this matter.
Yours sincerely
Carolyn Gullery
General Manager
Planning, Funding & Decision Support