A story (*Suicide warning*) in the local paper just popped up on my facebook feed, it shows me that i am right to not trust my crisis team, or any of the local MH team in my area. This story is about the same team who sent me -someone well known to them, including the nurse who assessed me that day/morning/night (i don't recall what time of day it was) & well know for being a massive danger to myself - home, after an OD that left me unconscious & seizing.
Obviously places, names and any other details that might give my identity and location away have been removed. (So its bascially just the outline of the story!)
Depressed man killed himself three hours after hospital discharge
By Court ReporterTHREE hours after a depressed man was discharged from hospital, he jumped in front of a train still wearing his pyjama top and NHS identity tag, an inquest heard.
Mr Patient, 46, of A Nearby Town, was assessed by a mental health nurse at The local Hospital, Scummy Town, September 13, 2008. The medic decided he was calm and co-operative and allowed him to go home an inquest at Court Town was told today.
Mr Patient, of a close, down a Lane, was not having any further thoughts of suicide at that time and was optimistic, the nurse (not a nurse i recognise) told the Coroners Court.
The skilled handy man was discharged at 11am with arrangements for follow up care in the community.
However, at 1.45pm, he jumped from the platform at Edge of Scummy town station in front of the 80mph town to city train.
The inquest heard that Mr patient had left a letter at his place of work which was recovered later.
The coroner was told that Mr patient had a history of depression, suicidal thoughts and self-harm and was well known to local mental health services.
He had recently suffered a relationship breakdown and on September 11, he was treated in hospital after drinking a large quantity of alcohol. He said he was feeling depressed.
Mr Nurse, a registered mental health nurse with the Crisis Assessment Treatment Team for 'local county' NHS Foundation Trust, told the inquest he had dealt with another patient and was asked to see Mr Patient, even though it was 2am. (even through it was 2am?? The crisis team are meant to be 24hrs are they not? why else are they based at the hospital MH unit and doing night shifts??!!)
Mr Patient agreed to the 45 to 60 minute interview and the nurse said he was aware of his history and the state of his relationship.
He told the inquest: "When we saw him, he was calm, he was co-operative, was willing to speak to us and engage with us.
“While he was tearful about his circumstances, he did tell us he felt safe to go home, he was not having any further thoughts of suicide at that time and was being optimistic about addressing his problems."
Mr Nurse said that in his professional view, Mr patient did not meet the criteria to be detained under the Mental Health Act.
British Transport Police coroner's officer told the inquest the train driver of the 1.30pm service from the north town saw a man standing within the yellow lines at the platform edge at edge of scummy town station. He sounded the horn and the man stepped back. However, Mr transport officer continued: "Then the male ran towards the platform edge and jumped off the platform in front of the train. Mr patient was wearing a pyjama top and a hospital identity bracelet with a patient number and had a hospital discharge form, said Mr transport officer. The coroner recorded a verdict that Mr patient, who died from multiple injuries, killed himself.
This story is why if i am ever ill i will not go to that nearest hospital that is 15 minutes away (that and bad memories) but would rather go to a hospital that is twice the distance. And i actually chose to do that when K sent me to hosiptal with a self harm injury this time last year. I just have to remain consciousness enough and know what i'm doing to remember to refuse that hospital - which with the OD last year, mum did what she thought was right and i was in no state to call those shots.
Of course hopefully i will not get that depressed again, or lose control to that extent.
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2 people had something to say about this:
Yes, choose your hospital well. It would help if coroners would use the verdict "lack of care" in these cases, but it seems they always blame the victim.
I would hope there would be another case looking at the failings somewhere. probably a completely ineffective one!
whats even better is when i saw the crisis team neither my GP, care co-ordinator or psychiatrist were told that i'd even see the crisis team, although i guess a 5 minute assessment despite the severity of OD is too short to be put on paper despite being made to hang around and wait for him.
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