Seclusion

Heidi Everett is a young woman suffering from Bipolar Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia. Heidi experienced first-hand the devastating effects of seclusion, one of many measures used in inpatient settings to manage unstable patient behavior, also described as the involuntary supervised confinement of a consumer (Hyde, Fulbrook, Fenton, & Kilshaw, 2009; Van Der Merwe, Muir-Cochrane, Jones, Tziggili, & Bowers, 2013). The Mental Health Act defines seclusion as the “confinement of the patient at any time of the day or night alone in a room or area from which free exit is prevented” (Mental Health Act, 2000, p. 109). The Mental Health Act (2000) governs the treatment of people with mental illness, protects their rights and ensures they have access to appropriate care. The United Nations Principles for the protection of those with mental illness firmly state:
A patient who is restrained or secluded shall be kept under humane conditions and be under the care and close and regular supervision of qualified members of the staff … and only when it is the only means available to prevent immediate or imminent harm to the patient or others. (United Nations, 1991, principle 11.11). The National Standards for Mental Health Services (2010) advocate the rights of patients like Heidi and gives mental health nurses a clear pathway for the care associated with those suffering mental illness. Muskett (2014) and Hyde et al. (2009), believe that focusing on a trauma-informed approach promotes recovery and person-centred care, minimizing re-traumatization. After working in mental health for a number of years, it appears that there has been little progress towards implementing real alternatives, however recent research suggests that the seclusion debate has intensified calling for its elimination (Fashchingbauer, Peden-McAlpine, & Tempel, 2013; Hyde et al., 2009). One major amendment to seclusion occurred in Queensland Health in December 2014 stating that a seclusion episode can