Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Mental Health Tribunal Family Member

  • 18-09-2018 8:26pm
    #1
    smith1827
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 ✭


    I have a family member who was admitted to a mental health unit just over two weeks ago and they did so voluntarily after a doctor’s visit. They had a meeting with the doctor last Friday and the family member mentioned that he would like to go home and said that something may have been done to his phone as the staff take their phone to charge them. With that the doctor decided to keep him in involuntary and stated that he was entitled to a tribunal within 21 days. We then heard later that day that a Tribunal was booked by the hospital to go ahead. Neither my family member or we have requested this, and they have told us that my family members lawyer would be appointed by the Mental Health Commissioner. I really can’t see on what grounds they could do this as my family member hasn’t done or caused anything over the past two weeks that would lead a person to believe they would be a danger to themselves or anyone else.

    They tell us that he has more right this way but to me its seems very one sided. I could be totally wrong, but it doesn’t seem fair that my family member could not appoint his own solicitor and everyone at the tribunal apart from the patient and one family member works for the Mental Health Commission or the hospital.

    What human rights do patients in a Mental Health Hospital have. It seems to me not a lot. I’m looking for any advice from people that may have had family in a similar situation or even advice on who to contact, maybe advice from a lawyer or an external doctor? Is someone entitled to get an external doctor to come visit them in the hospital or not?

    I won’t go into the shocking running of the unit at this stage as I would be here all night.


Comments

  • #2
    nuac
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,769 ✭✭✭nuac


    Mod
    Sorry to read of your relative's situation, but we cannot give legal advice on this forum.
    Subject to that will leave open for general discussion.


  • #3
    splinter65
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    Is it your own observations of the unit that lead you to believe that it is badly run or has your family member relayed concerns to you?
    One thing I would say to you, and this is from my own experience, is that it’s easy for you to get into a mindset where the medical profession are all conspiring to keep your family member locked away, but that’s not very realistic.
    The doctors and nurses have been observing your family member in a professional capacity 24 hours a day for 2 weeks and have decided based on those observations that his mental health is compromised to the point where he is a danger to himself or to others to an extent where they are exercising their authority to retain him in the unit so he can get a diagnosis and a course of treatment be prescribed.
    Ask for a meeting with the public health nurse and address your concerns to him/her.
    My sympathy to you, I know this is very stressful.


Advertisement