Tag Archives: mental health

The scandal of common mental illnesses left untreated

Would we tolerate a situation in which the majority of those suffering from diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis were left to fend for themselves, or asked to make do with inferior therapies?

Imagine you are the campaigns manager of a political party. You are aware of a public health crisis that, at any one time, affects a third of the population, reduces life expectancy as drastically as smoking, is more disabling than angina, asthma, or diabetes, and reduces GDP by around 4% each year. You know this crisis can be substantially – and cheaply – alleviated. Wouldn’t you make the issue a central theme in your election campaign?

Tragedy of Liverpool mum who died penniless after her benefits stopped

Distraught family say Annette Francis, who suffered from severe mental illness, was let down by the authorities

A mum-of-one suffering from severe mental illness died without any money after her disability benefits dried up.

Annette Francis, 30, was found dead at her Garston home two weeks ago, leaving behind 11-year-old son  Kieron.

Her distraught family say Annette  was let down by the authorities in the  months leading up to her death.

At the time of the tragedy, Annette had spent six months without receiving a single penny in benefits, her aunt Ann Sorotos claims.

‘Critically unwell’ mental health patients sent home due to bed shortages

Survey by Royal College of Psychiatrists identifies series of problems with mental health services

 

Picture credit: Charlie Milligan

Mental health professionals are sending ‘critically unwell’ patients home because they cannot secure them hospital care due to a shortage of available beds, a survey by the Royal College of Psychiatrists has found.

The pressure on beds has also led hospital managers to tell doctors they will only accept patients who have been detained under the Mental Health Act – a process that imposes a series of restrictions on patients’ liberty – and refuse to take patients who agreed to admission voluntarily, the research found. Similar problems were reported by Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) in a survey published last year.

Under the Mental Health Act code of practice professionals have an obligation to seek the ‘least restrictive’ care possible for patients. In most cases a decision to detain a person under the Act requires agreement from three professionals, usually an AMHP and two doctors.