M ental I llness C oncerns A ll	Cr. was a moderate scholar who lost friends after there was a name-calling incident when he was age 15. He worked as an apprentice in a refrigerator fitting firm where his father also worked, but was made redundant before he could finish City & Guild qualifications.He experienced some bullying but made nothing of it. When twenty-one, on a camping holiday with church companions , he first experienced schizophrenia accepting guidance from many misbeliefs. Returning from that holiday he narrowly escaped a car accident when he overtook several cars and a tractor on a blind corner. He told his parents God had told him to overtake. His parents put the experiences down to 'sunstroke'. After a visit to an elder brother in scotland, that brother and his partner thought he may well have schizophrenia, and they told the parents of this. His mother later told something of her worries to her family doctor. When Cr. had seen a different doctor in the practice, and not complained of anything but physical complaints - he had been to the family doctor surgery over sixty times in the previous two years - his mother wrote to that doctor giving the additional background of his behaviour at home. She later spoke to her own doctor on the telephone and then added the suspicions of the elder son that this might be schizophrenia. A final appointment - with the mother's doctor - by Cr. with his father, is noted as being on physical complaints, curtailed by rudeness, and an abrupt exit by Cr., the father remaining to give background to his behaviour at home.That appointment ended with the family doctor deciding to arrange a consultation with a local psychiatric service - although Cr. had left before hearing of that intention. Later that day he 'collapsed' in a local chemist - was taken to the hospital casualty department in an ambulance, where his account and behaviour were so odd that it was decided he was acutely ill with a psychiatric illness and should be seen there by a psychiatrist. Cr. absconded, but after the police were advised by the Casualty Department, they applied their detaining three day order ( Section 136 MHA ) for someone requiring a place of safety - and removed him to the police station. There he was examined by a psychiatrist, who spoke also with his parents, and discussed everything with the parents and the Approved Social Worker, who had arrived after a call from the police, and whose presence would be necessary for any Hospital admission under a different Section of the Mental Health Act. The consultant psychiatrist decided there was no danger that required an immediate response and was of the view that a detaining Order could not be supported. With no medical rcommendation a Section could not be imposed. It is not clear what was the opinion of the Approved Social Worker, but the consultant was certain that the Social worker would have been of the same view - that there were no grounds for a Formal hospital admission. She had decided that cooperation with psychiatric care would be more likely to succeed if it was started from home, so she prescribed a night sedative, and prescribed neuroleptic medication suitable for a 'community' patient. Cr. went home . The next day he drove his car at great speed, colliding with several vehicles, finally driving straight into the path of an approaching vehicle, so that the driver was killed. Cr. was found suspended upside down in his wrecked car singing loudly. He believed he was being directed by God. He had not taken any medication. Review. Home Page back to Inquiry page	E-mail reaction is welcome mica@didgy.freeserve.co.uk

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