Still in the shadows: a national study of acute mental health unit location across New Zealand hospitals.

Background: This study aimed to explore the location of acute mental health inpatient units in general hospitals by mapping their location relative to hospital facilities and community facilities and to compare their proximity to hospital facilities with that of general medical acute units.

Methods: We obtained Google maps and hospital site maps for all New Zealand public hospitals. Geographic data were analysed and mental health units' locations in relation to hospital facilities and public amenities were mapped.