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Attahua
Senior Contributor

Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

once again my partner has had a relapse, he has lived with schizo effective disorder for the past 27 years. As soon as I recognised the early signs (although in hindsight I now realise I missed many) but nevertheless this particular incident occurred one month ago today and I called upon our community of mental health team immediately. On this particular Monday morning another worker from yet another agency came and visited upon my request as well, he was quicker then the MH team and upon conversing with my partner he knew just how unwell he was and knowing his past history he was also well aware as to how very quickly he deteriorates. He left shortly after assuring me he would inform the MH team of the seriousness of this and that he would ensure one of the team was a nurse who could assess and take my partner to hospital. Well the team came and chatted and basically told me that if they took him into hospital he would be sent straight home again!!!!!!!! Never mind the fact that he was delusional and believed I had poisoned his food and he was very paranoid, all part of his usual pattern going by prior admissions. Instead they got another agency involved called ICP who were to check on us later that evening. Well I called ICP and asked that they come sooner rather then later as he was deteriorating before my eyes and although I would normally call an ambulance I didn't see the point as I had been told by the MH professionals that he would be sent home. So ICP turn up, talk to my partner and as they were leaving they told me that he just wanted to go to the pub and have some space. I tried to tell them that he NEVER goes to the pub , only when he is unwell and that we should call an ambulance. One of the workers response was ' well what are you going to tell the ambos???' I replied that I would tell them he was a risk to himself and his dog as if they knew his past history they would see he had a habit of taking off , whether it be by car or foot, and disappearing which always leads to statewide police searches. They told me they hadn't had time to read his case notes and he had told them he just wanted to go to the pub and have space. So they left and shortly after do did my partner with his dog. As predicted he did then in fact go missing for 27 hours which resulted in him being listed as a missing person and a statewide search began. 27 excruciating hours later filled with anxiety, worry and fear his rolled over vehicle was found with him clearly delusional and unwell but not injured, nor was our dog thankfully but I have since had to have him put down as he was riddled with cancer. Just another thing I have to face when my partner is finally well enough to leave the locked ward he is currently in. His car is a write off, we have lost an elderly family member and his dog ( his companion of 11 years) is no longer with us. And despite my numerous phone calls etc requesting at least an apology from the people involved in the lead up to this , one month later I have heard absolutely nothing. It seems no one is willing to take accountability for this bear tragedy, and to top it off, he was issued with a fine for driving a vehicle eith undue care, a vehicle the ICP team were aware he was getting into but clearly felt he was sane enough to do do despite my appeals to the contrary. I am absolutely at the very end of my tether. My work has been affected and I have now had to take leave and my daughter is trying to get through her last few weeks of year 12. I feel so despondent and let down by the system!

52 REPLIES 52

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

@Attahua ....

I would write an official complaint.

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

Hi @Attahua,

What an awful and frustrating experience. I am sorry to hear your troubles with the system.

I noticed there is a similar discussion happening by @SolidRock and that @Former-Member has listed a little bit of information on what you can do as well. The thread is here if you wanted to join in. It can be particularly helpful when others have had similar experiences, to help get you through it. Like @Former-Member has said above, I can see why you would feel a complaint is needed. 

 

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

Sorry about this for you, your daughter, and your partner@Attahua

I have posted here and there about my current and historical frustrations with the system

One thing I said to the Royal Commission is that the system needs to stop making promises it cannot deliver on.

Also that the bandaid approach undermines the whole credibility of the system for consumers and the general public.

It allows people to say ... "help is available" ... in an unqualified manner ... or have witch hunts about fraudsters but not award Centrelink entitlement to genuine cases.  

As tax payers, we do not want to fund a monstrous beauracracy or disconnected mini agencies who waste time, money and lives with miscommunications.

We want a functional interconnected system.

It intensifies damage when functional help is not there but we are fed with the line that it is.

Also realistic time frames for service delivery are needed.

Heart @Attahua

 

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy


@Appleblossom wrote:

 

It intensifies damage when functional help is not there but we are fed with the line that it is.

 

 


So sorry @Attahua for the pain yourself, daughter and husband had to go through because of the Govts failure to deliver through underfunding a vital mental health service and hospital beds; as @Appleblossom correctly stated, we are told these resources are there but in reality they are not functioning adequately at all. Your particular situation is a "very serious" case of negligence and could of been much worse. 

What can help you here is to state the whole situation as you have above in writing and send it to The Hon. Federal and State Ministers for Health (and shadow) and your local MP. This is not acceptable by any means @Attahua. It may also help you to seek legal advise in this circumstance.

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

ohhh @Attahua, sending you tender hugs my friend HeartHeart

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

Dearest @Attahua

My suggestion is that you can try and find the STATE GOVERNMENT LAW statement of how hospitals, Police, ANY Government authority MUST take heed of the CARER FIRST.

 and keep their blinkered views to themselves.

6 years ago.....

Mr G, my darling husband decided to quit drinking so he could be a better husband. The problems started immediately.  We had already told them he was trying to stop drinking....but the Psychistrist: the hospital did not check on him , offer him respite in a hospital.....nothing. 

When my husband, Mr G was at his most unwellest : I was calling the police every day to get him to hospital ( a nurse wouldn't come because of his record) ................it took for a terrible thing to happen for them to take notice.

I didnt know but he was buying listerine to get the alcohol in himself. He was very manipulative to the authorities.

After 3 months and numerous police visits :

A wonderful policeman came into our property to check on him. Mr G, my husband was running around in his boxer shorts screaming about all the televisions and cameras recording him. The policeman was  so careful as not to upset him but Mr G jumped on him and tried to bite his nose off. 

The police took him to hospital. But the Doctors in the hospital told him and the police and me he was'nt sick. He came home. He then turned into a bear and jumped on me hitting me in the head 8 times. 

 

I wrote Letters to: 

State Mental Health Commision

Suburb Council of our property.

Member of Parliment

State Mental Health Minister AND Shadow State Mental Health Minister

State Commisioner of Police listing all police who have been helpful and ones that were not.

State Mental Health Lawyer.

Visiting the State Psych Hospital with a letter about their treatment of not taking notice of his deterioration. I wrote blaming the hospital and Pschiatrist of 75 % their fault for my husband ending up in prison for something that could have been avoided if they just placed him in hospital for 2 weeks. At last I got one reply :  a 4 page reply stating that actually: it WAS my fault........

I am very mindful of what your going through.

People with different IQs react different. 

Take care of just you. He comes second. 

My name is PeppiPatty. 

Please stay in touch, 

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

I have written to the minister of health/ mental health, had a face to face with our local MP which was positive and spoken to the boss of the bosses of our local hospital.... reluctantly next step may be social media although I am trying to avoid that option

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

Oh Pepi thank you for sharing, my heart breaks for what you went through, I have noted the people you contacted and will try to do the same as we cannot keep doing this and not be heard......for want of a better word ITS CRAZY!! We have to be our partner's voice when they cannot and it's not their fault they have a terrible brain disease.....but the toll it takes on us , the carers is huge. I can openly admit that I am now suffering from nightmares, crying every day, have had to take sick leave from a job I absolutely love but I cannot cope and yet there are absolutely NO services available in our country town to support me either!!!!

Re: Let down by the system once again resulting in a near tragedy

Dear @Attahua

Everyone here will agree: @Lauz an' @Appleblossom an @Former-Member an' @Former-Member an my special friend, @Shaz51

You need support. 

Do you see your Gp ? 

Have you a friend that you can ask to have girl time three times per week where you can just talk about what you are going through and write stuff down for ideas about how to get through tomorrow? 

 

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