Can a person still be sectioned?

Godsentme

Can a person who is clearly insane and a danger to themselves be locked up in some secure ward for their own protection? If so, if the family felt this was the only course of action to take until some sort of managability was established, how would they go about it? 20/30 years ago, a person in this condition would be in a mental home immediately, but today they are failing at every attempt and are at their wits end its all going to end bad.

MagicSean

If the threat of harm is immediate call the gardai. Otherwise go to your a gp.

toexpress

A few months ago I had this discussion with a Garda Sergeant friend of mine, we were talking about someone locally here who was in difficulty and he explained that it's not like it used to be where a person can be sectioned that easily. He would convince a local person every so often that a trip to a facility is what he needs.

The family really have very little say in respect of someone being committed to an institution. In reality if you have concerns about someone in your family you need to speak to the Gardai because they can and will help and that's the best starting point

MagicSean

The gardai cannot section someone. Their only powers are to detain someone if they pose an immediate physical threat and have them assessed by a doctor.

The best place to start is with the persons gp. They know the medical history and can arrange for the person to be sectioned.

krd

toexpress wrote: »

A few months ago I had this discussion with a Garda Sergeant friend of mine, we were talking about someone locally here who was in difficulty and he explained that it's not like it used to be where a person can be sectioned that easily.

Yeah, in the good old days. When families could get rid of the inconvenient cracked wan, or cracked fella.

There are lots of reasons why a family might want to get rid of someone. The person may be "different" - and for the family this brings a sense of shame. Maybe there is a psychotic in the family, and they have selected this person as the "cracked" one, to cover their own madness. The entire family works together to paint the selected target as insane as possible - they may even begin to believe it themselves. Maybe the family are trying to cover up sexual abuse. Maybe they're trying to get their hands on a house or a farm.

It's reasons like this that are reasons the law is what it is now.

He would convince a local person every so often that a trip to a facility is what he needs.

Great the local guard as consultant psychiatrist. In small town Ireland, to be considered "cracked in the head" doesn't take much.

When I lived in Kerry in the 90s. Two friends were in a pub chatting. The publican decided one of the guys was "cracked in the head" - I suppose because the guy was a little odd - just a little. He didn't do or say anything that unusual . The guards turn up, and on the diagnosis of the publican hauled yer man off to the local mental hospital - where he was incarcerated for the next two weeks.

In the same town, the guards killed a man in the process of arresting him to take him to the mental hospital. Now, I had no personal contact with those guards. But I witnessed the way they behaved and it was unsurprising that they eventually did kill someone.

Myrddin

MagicSean wrote: »

The gardai cannot section someone. Their only powers are to detain someone if they pose an immediate physical threat and have them assessed by a doctor.

The best place to start is with the persons gp. They know the medical history and can arrange for the person to be sectioned.

Agreed, the Gardai can arrest someone under the Mental Health Act, if they are a threat to themselves or others. But it'd only be a detention until a doctor can section the person affected

tinner777

the guards can make an application, same as next of kin, which then has to be backed by a recommendation from a gp. Once the two forms are completed the guards or the assisted admission team have the power to remove the person to the approved mental heath centre. They are then assessed by a consultant within 24 hours who then make the decision to detain. At any time if the person states that will stay as a voluntary patient the detention is invalid. You cant detain people who are drunk or under the influence of drugs

666irishguy

I always assumed it took at least two doctors to agree that someone is at risk to have them sectioned against their will, if they are not immediately a risk to themselves or others. I think years ago family members or a specific number of witnesses making an application was all that was required to get somebody sectioned.