Reports about the dreadful events in the east Midlands last June (Nottingham killer went to MI5 HQ pleading to be arrested, court told, 24 January) have prompted me to write about a time when my son developed very violent psychotic behaviour. We rang our GP at 9am and he agreed something needed to be done. Three hours later he arrived with a psychiatrist, and my son was sectioned, a bed booked, ambulance called and, five hours after our first call, he was in hospital. But that was in 1987.
In November 2023, my son had a very similar attack. A telephone call arranged for a visit from a psychiatrist later in the day, who agreed that he needed treatment. By 5.30pm on the second day, a team had been assembled and a “section 2” was issued.
Telephone calls ascertained that there were no NHS or private beds locally; nor within the county; nor in any neighbouring counties. I was asked if I would please keep him in my house overnight. He was frightening, ranting, shouting, delusional, hardly sleeping, incontinent with bed sores, and had not eaten for days. I had to say yes.
No news came until 8pm on the ninth day, when he was finally taken to hospital. So ended the most terrifying experience in my 88 years of life.
There are constant reports of people with severe mental illness, known to local mental health teams, who have run amok, leading to tragedies, the latest being the one in Nottingham. But if there are no secure facilities, what can the mental health teams do? The drastic reduction in beds has gone dangerously too far.
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