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Suicidal patients are being ignored and accused of “attention seeking” as families have to fight to keep them in hospital, a national inquiry into mental health services has found.
The investigation has warned NHS mental health services are placing critically ill suicidal patients at risk of harm by using the wrong suicide assessments and ignoring warnings over early discharge from hospital.
The inquiry, by the Health Services Safety Investigation Branch, found examples of staff who had accused suicidal patients of “attention seeking” and instances of patients being discharged from mental health units before they were ready.
The father of one young person described having to get on the floor and beg staff not to discharge his daughter, while another patient went on to have life-changing injuries just hours after they were discharged.
Former health secretary Steve Barclay commissioned HSSIB to investigate safety concerns across mental health services following a series of reports from The Independent exposing “systemic abuse” at a group of children’s mental health hospitals.
The HSSIB findings come as a major public inquiry into the deaths of more than 2,000 patients cared for by mental health hospitals in Essex was launched this week. The inquiry chair Baroness Kate Lampard warned the shocking scale of deaths due to service failures may never be truly known.
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The safety watchdog’s report, published on Thursday, said hospitals are continuing to use inaccurate “risk assessment” methods to measure a suicidal patient’s risk to themselves.
The method, which rates people as “high”, “medium” or “low” risk should no longer be in use by trusts. The system used to be in place, however current national guidance is for patients to have individual assessments which reflect their specific situation and needs.
Earlier this year NHS services in Nottingham were heavily criticised for “minimising” and overlooking the risks Valdo Calocane presented to others and himself prior to his killing of three people last year.
In examples cited by HSSIB investigators, of patients who faced discharged too early, one father told the watchdog he had to beg for his daughter to remain in hospital.
A father of a young adult who died said: “I threw myself on the floor and begged them not to discharge her …”.
“Another family member of a young person who died described how they “felt very estranged as her family … we had no voice in her care, decision making and her safety”.
Another parent of a young person who died said: “We were concerned about her safety and wanted to be informed of incidents of self-harm and more involved in decisions about her care but instead we were black-marked and treated as difficult people … they cut us out of her care”.
The report also warned:
- Patients who expressed suicidal thoughts were “not listened to” by staff
- Mental health staff are using risk assessment methods they should not be out of “fear of being blamed” if a patient comes to harm.
- Families and carers of people who have died by suicide said hospitals did not listen to them about their loved ones’ risks
The report said: “One patient described their fear and subsequent reaction to being discharged from a mental health inpatient unit when they felt they were not ready. They said: “I was discharged anyway because I was told I was just attention seeking.”
This patient went on to cause themselves “substantial life-changing injuries” just hours after their discharge, according to the report.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
