Mental health patients caged

High security fences around the recreation areas of the two wards at Robina Hospital. Source: News Limited

NURSES say mental health patients are being treated like monkeys in a zoo contained by fences at Robina Hospital.

Staff say the move to fence courtyards in two acute wards at the facility is absolutely disgusting and people have already taken to giving them derogatory names.

THREE CHARGED AFTER ATTACKING GRANDPARENTS A nursing source said the fences gave the impression patients were animals in a zoo, when many were people who lived in the community and were not a risk to the public.

Thats what they look like, a monkey enclosure, the nurses said.

These are people that might just be suffering a clinical depression for something, it could be post traumatic stress disorder, but theyre still called acute patients.

They look like they could be in a zoo. Its disgusting.

Gold Coast Health general manager mental health Karlyn Chettleburgh said there had been closed fences around the two units but they did not suit the purpose and needed to be replaced.

At first staff and patients were disappointed with the aesthetics but shade cloth and greenery are being added to soften the exterior while retaining natural light, she said.

The more recent design and construction of Gold Coast University Hospital has enabled the use of a very high retaining wall to act as a fence for several courtyards. Changes to Robina Hospital courtyards make it more consistent with the standards at GCUH.

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Mental health patients caged