The Psychiatric World of Ward 21 PN Hospital and other matters.

Update 29/8/17:  Ward 21 is ticking along nicely these days.  Seems staff have implemented changes and clients are reaping the benefits.  My comments about Dr Starr have been rescinded as he has taken extended leave and a nice psychiatrist or two are in community MH and on the Ward.  Chur!!



I don't bear grudges or animosity to any one person or any one thing. But I do remember those that gave me a leg up when I needed it, and also those that were next to useless (though that's being unfair on Useless). As an eleven year veteran of the mental health system personally (and aware of psychiatric issues through family acquaintances) I have come to inform myself on who is good and who is not. Eventually this tale will spin to Ward 21 Palmerston North Hospital, but for now, I need to cover previous hospitals and staff to build the picture.

My journey started with the CATT Team in Auckland's North Shore, who were called by my wife as I was unresponsive mentally and physically in not much better shape. They admitted me to North Shore Hospitals Mental Health unit called Taharoto and there I began to recover. I was seen by Dr Fraser, a rather serious and thoughtful character, my first psychiatrist. At this stage I gave him my full vote of confidence, but that was the last time I was seen by him. I was passed on to an intern (she was very good - for me) and my recovery continued apace. However after being diagnosed and discharged I was soon back in Taharoto for another stay, and upon recovery I was discharged. During my two stays in this hospital I was treated very well, by all staff, though I did find Dr Fraser kind of aloof. I had a short stay in the community, seen by a very nice psychiatrist by the name of Dr Cummings.

I shifted down to Foxton not long after and came under the auspices of Horowhenua Health and more importantly Dr Jenny Smith. I found her to be a very competent psychiatrist and I enjoyed our appointments. Alas I had to move to Palmerston North.

I was in Palmy for about 16 months before I had my next brush with Mental Health. I was hospitalised again and this time I ended up in HNU (High Needs Unit or Acute Ward). This was the very first time I had dealings with Dr Starr, the resident psychiatrist. I soon learned that I couldn't trust this man, and when we had our (limited) consultations he struck me as an arrogant prick and one not there for greater good. I learned very quickly to loathe the man, and I soon didn't want anything to do with him. Now there are not very many people in this world I have issues with, so Dr Starr is the exception rather than the rule. In fact Ward 21 struck me as a very sterile and uncaring place. Many times I asked why it didn't have a Maori name and why Manawaroa wasn't carried across (the old mental health facility at Palmy Hospital) Most of the staff didn't know or didn't care. And therein lies my issue with Ward 21 (the nursing station is referred to as Enterprises Bridge) the place is just not a warm place to be, and when you have idiots like Dr Starr (formerly Dr Nikolai [sp]) at the helm it's no wonder the staff don't give a monkey's arsehole.

So what is Dr Starr. He is the resident head psychiatrist for the main psychiatric ward as well as having clients on the community mental health register. He isn't highly respected, by either clients in his care, or even staff on the main ward. I have many anecdotal tales of how poorly he is regarded from both sectors, and some of the tales beggar belief. I have had two fellow clients tell me that he (Dr Starr) turned up for their appointments reeking of alcohol. Is this unusual? Well I have been associated with mental health services for seven years and in that time this is the only case that I am aware that a mental health worker presented in such a state. Is this unprofessional behaviour?

I know psychiatry is a mind numbing business and there are cases where psychiatric nurses and doctors have had to use their own services for their care, so I guess it is a very tough business. But surely it is like all hospital care, the staff need to present daily in a unified approach to care for their clients/patients. So Dr Starr, you lose even more kudos points for presenting to a client or two in a hungover state AND offered them your wisdom (which I gather not many people listen to anyway).

My opinion of Starr amounts to these two observations. The second time I was on the ward I was treated like a second class citizen by the good doctor and as such had cause to ask for a second opinion and be serviced by another Psyche doctor. I never received either, so I blamed (rightfully or wrongly) Dr Starr and from there on in refused to listen to him. I recall one day being told by ward staff to see Doctor Starr for my weekly appointment and jokingly told that staff member that if I had to talk to Starr I wouldn't be held responsible for my actions. Now I'm not a violent person, far from it, but they thought I was and so when Starr came on the ward, I was locked away in HNU until he had finished. So you are gathering I have very little faith in the man, further exacerbated by others accounts. Funny thing, when I had to see Starr on discharge, he rambled on for about 45 minutes and at the end asked me if I understood what he had said. Yup I didn't hear the question either until he tapped my hand and got my attention. I just wanted out of there.

In summation, Mental Health services in Palmerston North have this man as it's senior clinician and a lot of people that work for and with him want him gone. So why is he still there if there is a huge vote of no confidence in him, from staff and clients? I guess that's solely down to "The Old Boy Network" at the hospital.

Oh and one last thing. He claims he is the foremost specialist on Bipolar Disorder in this country and yet his name doesn't come up on Google searches. I guess when he masturbates he does at good job of it, and ambidextrously.