Relative in UK Needs Psychiatric Care

LegacyUser

Hi all,

I have a relative in the UK who needs psychiatric care. She's been to A+E twice in the last month having overdosed on tablets. She says she's suicidal, feels like she's no use to anyone and feels like everyone, including her kids would be better off without her

However, by her own admission, she knew the amount of medication she took last time was wasn't enough to kill her. She told the doctors this and this caused them to evaluate her as "not a danger to herself". This seems to have closed a number of public psychiatric treatment options.

Having no experience of the UK system, it's very difficult to know what to do or who to contact. My feeling is that she needs to be admitted to a hospital to be observed and treated. She at least needs to see a psychiatrist on an ongoing basis, but doesn't have the funds to do this privately.

Finally, she's had a bad experience with doctors in the past and there were allegations of inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature, this has caused her to mistrust doctors generally and causes her to be reluctant to go down this route.

It is very serious at this stage. Family members are having to look after the kids and bring them to school etc. and her partner is losing it and doesn't know what do to.

Does anyone have any experience of the UK system?

How do you go about getting someone admitted in the UK?

How do you see a psychiatrist in the UK in a hurry and for free?

Who should I contact in the UK for information?

amazingemmet

Does anyone have any experience of the UK system?

The uk system on the nhs is terrible, its so hard to get an appointment with an initial consultation with a care team, this can take up to 3 months generally never less then two depending on region

How do you go about getting someone admitted in the UK?

There's two ways to get admitted one will take having a care team and them agreeing that admission is the right course of action, The other is to have the person sectioned under the mental health act

How do you see a psychiatrist in the UK in a hurry and for free?

Its pretty much impossible to happen fast and for free, it can be done pretty much next day privately

Who should I contact in the UK for information?

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mental-health-services/Pages/Introduction.aspx

LegacyUser

Thank you so much for that, it's really helpful.

The problem is that she told the care team that she knew she didn't take enough medication to kill herself... so they classified her as not a danger to herself, so I understand that this has caused them to not recommend admission.

Sounds like the only two feasible options are getting her sectioned and seeing someone privately.

Thanks again for the info.

sam34

if she has had a psychiatric assessment (and i presume she has, sfter 2 overdoses) then she should be in the system as such, and she should have a key worker, who family could contact to discuss their concerns.

there is always a facility for emergency psychiatric assessments.

i'm not au fait with the mental helath legislation in england, and what the criteria are, so i dont know how to get someone sectioned.

her family should really speak to her gp, who will know about accessing the psych services and about sectioning and whether or not its appropriate in her case.

Snowdrop

It sounds terrible but exaggerate the situation to anyone who will listen. Ring the local police, explain she is a threat to herself, get their advice. The medical system is dreadful if you don't have medical insurance or money.

A long time ago, I lived in a houseshare in London with a girl who had a breakdown. Her medical insurance had expired, her family weren't interested and she was in a bad way. I tried to get her help but the GP was completely useless. The only help we got was from the police who I have to say were very helpful. On several occasions when she threatened to kill her self, we had to call an ambulance but as she always refused to go to hospital, we would ask the police to arrest & hold her overnight for her own safety.(if someone threatens harm or suicide, the police are obliged to accompany the ambulance to the situation)

Eventually one night after numerous such episodes, we asked to have her sectioned as we were getting no help from any other source and she was getting worse. As I recall, I had to sign the papers even though we were not related. She got admitted immediately to a public psychiatric hospital and stayed for a few weeks. It was a drastic step which I hated taking but there was no other way she was going to get any help and we didn't feel too safe either.

This was back in the early nineties so things have probably changed(worsened probably) but it may still be an option to do it this way. I hope you get her help and it works out for her.

Billiejo

Hi from the UK.
Goes without saying, sounds like your relative is going through a tough time. However reading through your account of the reported problem as you believe it to be, may not exactly fit where mental health clinicians would assess as priority risky, because believe it or not, every day sees people enter A&E following more than enough O/D attempts.
The first question for the clinician would be, Did the person Really mean to kill themselves?.
Secondly, is this just attention seeking behaviour, or seeking attention to 'feeling bad inside' / dispare or depression?.

In the UK all visits to A&E are followed up with a 'Casualty receipt' to the persons GP. Therefore the first port of call is the GP....Who should/could prescribe medication IF appropriate. It is best to have an accompanying person along to see the GP, EG husband/partner/friend to support a request for referral to Mental Health Services for an assessment.
If there is no faith in the current GP your relative should find another.

Also there is the MIND charity (Google it) in every town where 'suffering clients' and even family's of whom, can go for help and advice regarding mental Health issues.
In addition if there is small children under 5 years in the household the Health Visitor (nearest Health Centre) can also help.

PS. Sounds like what may be required in this case is first-line medication supported by CBT.
Hope this helps.