New Zealand's Mental Health District Inspector in historical context: "the impartial scrutiny of a citizen of standing".

The Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 (NZ) legislates for District Inspectors who ensure that mental health consumers held under the Act are aware of their legal rights. The New Zealand District Inspector role first appeared in 19th century legislation. Its historical longevity does not, however, denote that this role has been consistent since its inception. This article looks at the historical development of the District Inspector and its companion role, the Official Visitor, focusing in particular on the period 1969-1992, when the purpose and scope of the roles was part of a Mental Health Act 1969 review. This was a time of fundamental social and professional change, shifting ideas of psychiatric practice, new locations of treatment, and growing emphasis on patient/consumer rights. The sometimes heated debates surrounding the roles reflect these changing ideas. An historical analysis of the District Inspector and Official Visitor roles aids understanding of how the social and political contexts affect mental health issues; this has relevance for current mental health law.