M ental I llness C oncerns A ll	DG and his wife looked after a mentally handicapped son at home with support and respite from the local social services. The son had some physical health problems which were increasing. DG was recognised as sometimes suffering in a phase of psychotic depression, admitted for this to hospital on two occasions, sufficiently serious that there was thought of giving him ECT in hospital. It seems he got better instead with medication. At one admission he declared and it was in the notes, that when in depression he had thought of killing himself and if he did that he would first kill his son also. Maybe that declaration was not always in the minds of those, sometimes diffferent, people, who saw him subsequently, possibly and particularly those in the Social Services who were dealing with the son. There were social workers in the mental health team, but they were from the different part of the social service Department. In addition to his mental illness susceptibility, DG had a chronic bach-ache problem. DG and his wife were under considerable and increasing personal stain in managing the son at home. The vulnerability of DG to recurrent depressive psychosis and his increasing struggle in giving physical help placed an increasing strain at home. They did not secure any reassurance that this was recognised and the Social services would increase. It is not clear from the Report, what degree of warning was given to the family doctor, or directly to the wife about the necessity to make a timely re-introduction of the previously successful mental health service intervention. DG had a son living from a first marriage living in th home. Whilst he was away DG severely battered his second wife, strangled DG the handicapped son, and hung himself. Comment         E-mail reaction is welcome mica@didgy.freeserve.co.uk