SANE comment following the inquest into the death of Lord Milo Douglas
Added: 3rd Mar 2011
Marjorie Wallace, Chief Executive of mental health charity SANE, said:
“SANE is disturbed by findings revealed at today’s inquest which we believe demonstrate serial failures in the care and treatment of Lord Milo Douglas.
“The evidence highlights the lack of choice mentally ill people have to be admitted to hospital and how they have nowhere to turn if they feel they can no longer live in the community without being a risk to themselves.
“Milo Douglas, who had suffered from manic depression for over ten years, expressed a clear wish to be admitted to hospital six days before carrying out the suicide he had previously described in detail to the professionals charged with his care. Instead he was sent a series of different, mainly junior, members of a Crisis Resolution Team (CRT) who did not respond to the seriousness of his state of mind.
“The purpose of these teams is to treat people at home, thereby preventing costly inpatient care.
The way community care is practised - relying on a series of teams which often do not get to know individual patients – has in our experience led to systemic confusion, delays in response to crisis and in some cases preventable loss of life.
“We believe that had Milo Douglas’ pleas for help been respected, this tragedy would not have happened.”
-Ends-
Added: 3rd Mar 2011
Marjorie Wallace, Chief Executive of mental health charity SANE, said:
“SANE is disturbed by findings revealed at today’s inquest which we believe demonstrate serial failures in the care and treatment of Lord Milo Douglas.
“The evidence highlights the lack of choice mentally ill people have to be admitted to hospital and how they have nowhere to turn if they feel they can no longer live in the community without being a risk to themselves.
“Milo Douglas, who had suffered from manic depression for over ten years, expressed a clear wish to be admitted to hospital six days before carrying out the suicide he had previously described in detail to the professionals charged with his care. Instead he was sent a series of different, mainly junior, members of a Crisis Resolution Team (CRT) who did not respond to the seriousness of his state of mind.
“The purpose of these teams is to treat people at home, thereby preventing costly inpatient care.
The way community care is practised - relying on a series of teams which often do not get to know individual patients – has in our experience led to systemic confusion, delays in response to crisis and in some cases preventable loss of life.
“We believe that had Milo Douglas’ pleas for help been respected, this tragedy would not have happened.”
-Ends-
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