'Very mentally unwell people' in homeless shelter amidst constant shortage of space in clinical care
A homeless shelter in Hamilton says it is being left to look after acutely unwell mental health patients because the city's mental health services are so stretched.
It claims one of its guests was left in a "zombie-like" state after being given medicine by mental health workers so they could remain at the shelter until seen by a psychiatrist.
Te Whatu Ora Waikato denies the allegation, saying it is not allowed to sedate patients in the community, although it admits its acute adult mental health inpatient facility typically operates at over 100 percent capacity.
