Miss Angela Bauman1
1University Of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Abstract:
The use of closed circuit television (CCTV) inside acute mental health units is both legally and ethically controversial. Practice varies internationally and within New Zealand. In the UK, for example, cameras can be found in communal areas and even service users’ bedrooms. In a 2017 investigation, consumer leader Karyn Black reported that 6 out of 20 units in New Zealand used CCTV in treatment areas, which she argued was illegal. The Ministry of Health later released guidelines which supported this argument, clarifying that the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 restricts the use of CCTV in treatment areas to the point that it is effectively prohibited. This Act is now being replaced, and it remains unclear how new mental health legislation will address the use of CCTV. In a narrative literature review, I have explored the benefits and ethical challenges of CCTV use in acute mental health units overseas. I have found that the purported benefits of CCTV to deter violence, improve observation and prevent self-harm are not borne out by the evidence. In addition, the harms of CCTV may extend beyond invasion of service users’ privacy, impacting clinical outcomes through reduced therapeutic interactions and creating an environment of detachment and control. I have concluded that the benefits of CCTV do not outweigh the potential harms to service users, and allowing CCTV in the mental health unit would not align with the rights-based approach that is intended to shape our new mental health legislation.
(Note: if the new mental health act has been announced prior to the conference, I would be happy to refocus my presentation in the context of the new legislation)