The death of a man in Palmerston North Hospital has been found by the Coroner to have been avoidable

Shaun Gray took his own life after being admitted to the mental health unit in 2014.

The Coroner's now ruled Gray was being given unsafe levels of medication, and that the ward was not fit for purpose, with not enough checks on patients.

His family told the Herald they're relieved to finally receive the findings, but say the journey has been long and painful.