A Personal ViewHoarding and Squalor ForumMay 2012

Tony Dowson Team Leader Environmental Compliance Christchurch City Council

Environmental Health Officer

• Often more ‘mental health’ than ‘environmental

health’ issue

• Can gain/force access – not good for rapport

• Powers also rely on Medical Officer of Health

S.126 Health Act 1956 Infirm and neglected persons

If any aged, infirm, incurable, or destitute person is found to be living in insanitary conditions or without proper care or attention, a District Court may, on the application of the medical officer of health, make an order for the committal of that person to any appropriate hospital or institution available for the reception of such persons.

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Issues for Councils

• Powers to resolve - Health Act 1956

• Short-term answer

• Monitoring

• Costly & time consuming

• Council’s role – safety net

• Large complex problem – not well quantified

• Aging population

Issues - Other

• Problematic individuals – resist help

• Other issues like nutrition, medication and

personal values (shame)

• High fatality rate – Irish study

• No overall agency ‘in control’

What’s needed?

Nationally

• Local/NZ research that drives policy /lawmaking

• New models of elderly care – communal?

• Therapies to be developed

Locally

• Co-ordination between agencies/groups

• Incremental progress tailored to individual

The End

Thank you.

The views and opinions expressed in this presentation are personal and do not represent those of Christchurch City Council.