Thoughts on ED at Mid Central Health and Mental Health Crisis

This is my 3rd blog dealing with Palmerston North Hospital and Mental Health services.  The first was a long hard look at Mental Health Services at Ward 21 and Community Mental Health.  The second an expansion into Mental Health Services throughout the country.  This blog takes me back to Palmerston North Hospital and Mental Health services.

I had the unenviable task last Sunday of taking a very suicidal client to ED for referral to the Crisis Team, this action was explained to me by the 0800 number team.  Fine so off we went.  This lady had to have her car door locked, and watched every minute of the journey, despite reassurance from me.  Once at ED the receptionist saw her and immediately told me to sit her down (after I asked for Mental Health Crisis Team and told her my friend was suicidal).

So we sat down.  After an hour my friend was ready to bolt and throw herself under a car.  For the next four hours I held her hand tightly, both to reassure her and to make sure she didn't bolt for the door.  It didn't help whilst siting there to hear that someones friend had died in a car accident and couldn't be revived in ED.  Exacerbated the problem.  Eventually the Crisis Team returned from the Police Station (dealing with a client no doubt) and saw me and my friend immediately.  The meeting was long (2 and 1/2 hours) and very fruitful.  I have very high admiration for the team that presented that night.  As a result my friend (from the Wairarapa where her support services are far from supportive) has an emergency psychiatrist appointment this Friday down there, has had her not very helpful psychologist ring her yet is still in a state that she fails to see any future or hope, despite the actions of the Crisis team here.

But that avenue is now open for her and maybe wheels will spin and doors will open.  I hope so for her sake.  But this is not the crux of this blog.  Some time ago a review was conducted over the services at Mid Central Health Mental Health and how they were run.  This was red flagged by recent suicides on the ward and in the community.  I'm pretty sure one of the recommendations was to improve access to a mental health worker in ED stationed there full time.  As the Crisis 0800 team now seem to refer clients at risk to ED surely there should be someone there that can sit with at risk patients until the Crisis Team can make an appearance?  How many folks have presented at ED after a phone call, sat for four to six hours and gone home and done something untoward requiring either more urgent services or a coroners report?

How much would it cost the DHB to station a duty Mental Health worker (doesn't have to be a nurse, someone from an NGO would suffice) in ED or perhaps seconded to Ward 21 and available on call.  Remember, I know a lot about Mental Health issues and Suicide so I had no qualms about sitting with my friend.  How are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends placed trying to keep someone presenting as suicidal safe when they just can't cope seeing that person suffer so much?  The answer for me; no cost is high enough when it comes to peoples lives.  The purpose of ED is to keep people alive, all people. Suicidal people have as much right to access life saving services as a road accident victim.

Fix it Mid Central Health.  Put that service in place and you might stop me blogging about your "business"!