Miriam Merten death: Lismore Base Hospital’s mental health seclusion room only decommissioned in March

EXCLUSIVE: THE primitive “seclusion” room at the centre of a massive hospital scandal was in use for nearly two years after this “sickening” death.

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THE primitive “seclusion” room at the centre of a massive hospital scandal after a mental health patient was locked inside naked and drugged and then died from brain injuries was in use for nearly two years after the “sickening” death.

And it could be in use again soon.

Miriam Merten. Picture: Supplied by family

It was confirmed yesterday the room remained open long after the 2014 death of mother-of-two Miriam Merten.

The Daily Telegraph last week unearthed horrific footage of Ms Merten dying after being dumped in the room at Lismore Base Hospital for five hours.

The footage, which the federal government called “deeply disturbing” and “utterly unacceptable”, revealed the 46-year-old falling and hitting her head at least 20 times while in seclusion.

Ms Merten was put inside “sedated with psychotropic drugs”, never offered water, was covered in her own faeces and was never even spoken to during the ordeal.

The tiny locked space had no furniture except for a mattress on the floor. She died from “brain injury caused by numerous falls” shortly after she was taken out.

Miriam’s daughter Corina was not told when or how she died. Picture: Luke Marsden

Lismore Base Hospital. Picture: Luke Marsden

Yet despite her death, which a Coroner dubbed “appalling” and “beyond comprehension”, The Daily Telegraph has been told the seclusion remained in use.

A Northern NSW Local Health District spokeswoman confirmed the room was only “decommissioned” in March 2017 “as part of the redevelopment of Lismore Base Hospital”.

And “recommissioning” was “expected to occur in June” unless a review of seclusion ordered by Health Brad Hazzard on Friday — after The Daily Telegraph’s investigation — stops it.

Mental health patient Miriam Merten staggering up and down the hospital corridor for more than hour covered in faeces and blood while the two nurses on duty mopped the floor.

Miriam Merten locked in a seclusion room, where she hit her head more than 20 times and died from an acquired brain injury.

The revelation of its continued use comes as calls for seclusion rooms to be totally banned were last night gaining momentum.

Mental health advocate Dr Ian Hickie said seclusion rooms should be banned immediately.

Dr Hickie said he had been “inundated” with calls from mental health patients who had seen the footage and said they had experienced similar treatment.

Mental Health Australia chief executive Frank Quinlan said he was worried seclusion was happening “in the dark” and the system wasn’t transparent.