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AIBU?

To want this lady supervised?

105 replies

Sparklymommy · 16/06/2013 15:12

Ok, a neighbour of ours clearly has mental health issues. I sympathise, and always thought she was harmless but a few months ago she caused a row in the street (really with my mother, who she thought was looking at her funny) and was effing and blinding in public, accusing me of all sorts of vile and untrue things. She used my dds name and it shook me up. Mum phones the police and they came straight out to be fair, told us neighbour was known to them, not a lot they could do.

Fast forward to last week. Another neighbour witnessed her walking around with a claw hammer in an agitated way. She phoned the police who apprehended her. When she was picked up she had knives and blades concealed in her underwear. She was sectioned.

Within three days she was back on the streets aggressively accosting passers by accussing them of being liars and followers of satan. Clearly she is a danger to herself and others so why is she allowed to live alone and not be monitored? I genuinely fear seeing her out and about and I am not the only one I know. Is it unreasonable to want her supervised? Not locked up, but just someone making sure she took her meds would be something.

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loopylou6 · 16/06/2013 15:16

Unfortunately, this is how innocent people lose their lives, because society fails.

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Fraxinus · 16/06/2013 15:17

How do you know she was sectioned? She could have gone into institution voluntarily and then she has the right to release herself.

I am not an expert, but i have not heard of people being sectioned and then released after 3 days. I would have thought it took longer than that.

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BaconKetchup · 16/06/2013 15:20

That's quite scary and sad Sad

YANBU

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AnAirOfHope · 16/06/2013 15:20

YANU but there is no money for care in the community or anywhere else.

All that you can do is report her to adult ss and keep calling the police.

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Sparklymommy · 16/06/2013 15:20

The neighbour who telephoned the police last weekend (who incidentally is a council leader and seems to know just about everything!) said they had sectioned her under the mental health act due to the blades in her bra and pants. That may be incorrect I guess. And there were people in her house the next day, cleaning and airing it out. We assumed ss, but don't know for sure.

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Tee2072 · 16/06/2013 15:21

Keep reporting her. Call SS directly. Not much else you can do.

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AnAirOfHope · 16/06/2013 15:22

She needs a community nurse to administer her meds every day but there is too few nursers and not enought money to employ them.

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mrsjay · 16/06/2013 15:23

people are sectioned for 28 days ( I think) not 3 days if this woman is a danger phone the police do it every time she does something you think is dangerous to her and the public ,

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valiumredhead · 16/06/2013 15:26

People aren't sectioned for 3 days.

Ring the police every time you are concerned, nothing else you can do.

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McNewPants2013 · 16/06/2013 15:26

I would stop listening to gossip and treating it as fact.

Just keep reporting her that's all you can do.

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Fraxinus · 16/06/2013 15:29

Hmmm yes, listening to gossip and treating it as fact.... I have done that before, and sometimes it really trips you up. Bit like making assumptions.

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Sparklymommy · 16/06/2013 15:29

Just read the mental health act, it's UP TO 28 days for assessment. Not necessarily the whole 28 days. That's under section 2. If a longer stay is required they then apply for a 6 month detainment order under section 3.

I am just going to have to keep reporting her aren't I? I genuinely worry about my kids if she is around. The vile stuff she spouts should not be heard by anyone, but certainly not my (or any) young children :(

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onemoredayplease · 16/06/2013 15:30

I would think she should have a mental health follow up. I would keep reporting every incident to police and if they are out again I would challenge them as to what's happening re: ongoing management of this lady. They may not know I'm a general nurse so not sure how mental health works now. Used to be community psychiatric nurses who would monitor this type of person.

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mrsjay · 16/06/2013 15:31

am just going to have to keep reporting her aren't I? I genuinely worry about my kids if she is around. The vile stuff she spouts should not be heard by anyone, but certainly not my (or any) young children

yes you are just keep ringing the police it is really all you can do,sadly and try and keep your children away from her

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onemoredayplease · 16/06/2013 15:31

Keep kids away. Easier said than done I know but she sounds unpredictable and a risk to them.

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SirBoobAlot · 16/06/2013 15:31

They wouldn't have told the other neighbor she had been sectioned, patient confidentiality. So stop gossiping for starters.

The mental health system fails people. She evidently needs more support than she's getting, as do so many other people out there. But finances prevent this from happening.

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GrasshopperNchipmunk · 16/06/2013 15:36

Section 136 of the MH Act 1983 allows for detention for up to 72 hours... Just sayin.

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AmyFarrahFowlerCooper · 16/06/2013 15:36

Its terrifying that people with MH issues are abandoned in this way and just left to their own devices when they need support. There's just not the help available :(

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plinkyplonks · 16/06/2013 15:39

Mental Health issues definitely not dealt with as they should be in this country. All you can do is keep on contacting the police and SS.

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Sparklymommy · 16/06/2013 15:39

I am not gossiping. I am genuinely concerned about this woman and anyone she accosts. We live in a tourist town and I have seen her verbally abuse strangers, visitors to the town and having been on the receiving end of her vitriolic abuse I sympathise with anyone she abuses in this way.

I am aware that the mental health system is lacking funds, but I am also aware that this woman is a genuine risk, not just to others but to herself.

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Sparklymommy · 16/06/2013 15:42

grasshopperandchipmunk that would make sense. She was definitely back on the streets on Thursday, having been detained on Sunday. Doesn't seem long enough to get someone stabilised though, and when I saw her in town on Thursday she was causing a seen so definitely not sorted out in any sense.

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Sparklymommy · 16/06/2013 15:43

Scene#

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SnowyMouse · 16/06/2013 15:49

I think the S. 136 allows time for a S. 2 or S. 3 if needed - people can go straight to a S. 3 if they are known to services and treatment in hospital is needed.

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Iactuallydothinkso · 16/06/2013 15:49

I'm sorry you're living with such unpredictability. I expect she was detained but her mental state was not so bad under their criteria to keep her for longer than the 72 hours for assessment.

I have seen the build up to a sectioning and it was very worrying indeed. It was my child's father, my ex, and it was terrifying and yes, I kept my child away. There was no way on this planet that someone so unpredictable was getting anywhere near us.

You can only keep reporting, keep a diary of everything and keep out of the way as much as you can.

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Casmama · 16/06/2013 15:52

72 hrs for an emergency section see here

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